


If I Knew Then...

by daughtershade



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-21
Updated: 2011-06-20
Packaged: 2017-10-20 14:42:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 47,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughtershade/pseuds/daughtershade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The African demon in Grave grants Spike's wish in a way he never planned. Flung back in time, he has to relive the previous three years with all the knowledge of what's to come.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Gravely Wild at Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Certain bits of dialogue are taken from the following BtVS episodes: 6:22 Grave, and 4:6 - 4:22.

"You have endured the required trials."

"Bloody right I have," he groans and slowly rolls to his feet. "So you'll give me what I want. I'll be back to what I was. They'll get what they deserve. Buffy and her bleedin' Scoobies."

"Very well," the demon says with an ominous pause. Spike looks up at him with confusion. The demon smiles. "You'll go back."

Before he can take a breath to speak, a light blinds him and the gruesome grin before him bleeds away into the all-encompassing light. The brightness slowly fades and Spike rubs at his watery eyes. It takes him a few precious seconds to adjust to the darkness again. The cave and demon are gone. Instead, he stands outside in the night. The smells around him, the grass under his feet, and even the cool breeze let him know he's not in Africa anymore.

"What the?" he whispers. A quick movement in the distance catches his attention and then he sees her, Buffy with a vamp hot on her heels. His stomach tightens at the sight of her. There are so many emotions warring within him when he looks at her. Love, hate, remorse, anger... oh yes, there is anger. There's still that reflex inside of him that wants to run to help her, but he pushes it aside. The demon must have granted his wish, time to pay her back in full. He hears her voice drifting over the night air and it stops him short.

"You were thinking, what, a little helpless coed before bed? You know very well, you eat this late," she says staking the poor bastard, "you're going to get heartburn. Get it? Heartburn?"

As the vampire turns to ash, Buffy babbles on at him. Something strikes Spike as being very wrong. Those words, this moment, are all too familiar. It takes him seconds to realize just where and when he's seen this all before. He starts to turn, but it's too late. The sharp burn of electricity boils over him and he falls to the ground screaming.

"Not again!"

Darkness pulls him in and the cycle begins anew.


	2. The Initiative

The antiseptic smell tickles his sensitive nose before he opens his eyes. He doesn't need to look. It's not as if he doesn't already know what he's going to see. The oppressively white room is the same one he's seen in a thousand nightmares. He knows better than to try and lean on the glass this time. Spike sits up slowly and pulls his knees up to his forehead.

"Should have known better. I haven't got the brains god gave a lemming. I could have run and then no chip, but here I am again," he mumbles. "As soon as I'm out of here, I'm going back to Africa and rip that bloody demon apart. Even if he won't know why."

There's a mechanical sound above him and he catches the blood packet that drops without even looking. Spike crosses his legs and drops the foul stuff on the floor in front of him.

"Don't drink it. It's drugged," a voice says off to his left.

He snorts at himself and grumbles, "Yeah, yeah."

"It's true. They're going to kill us, you know."

"Not me, mate."

"It happens to all of us. First, they starve you. When you're ready to bite your own arm, they shoot out one of those packets. You drink, and the next thing, you're gone. And that's when they do the experiments."

Spike wants to howl, wants to scream, but he knows it'll do no bloody good. Instead, he looks at the wall beside him and whispers, "Too late."

Things go just has they had once. He plays possum until the idiot lab techs release him from his cell. He remembers making quips the first time, but now he just goes through the motions with quiet determination. He grabs a key card off one of the unconscious scientists even before the other vampire can ask to be released. Not that he cares about doing everything the way it happened before, but a distraction is a distraction. Spike doesn't feel any remorse, after all he's been dusting morons like the one in front of him for the last three years or there abouts. They rush to the exit and it's only seconds later before he's pushing the vampire into the arms of the soldiers. It doesn't take him much longer to escape.

Spike busts his way out of the ventilation shaft back onto the Sunnydale U campus and pauses. He remembers what he did, but he doesn't necessarily have to do that now. Spike knows the extent of the chip, he knows what he can do to survive, but damned if he isn't in the exact same predicament he was three years ago. He's going to have to go back to them. He's going to have to grovel and get chained up, and any number of things that are already making his blood boil.

"Sod it all!" he yells and punches a nearby tree. Spike pants softly and closes his eyes. The soldiers will be coming soon. Calm, he has to stay calm and think. Not going to deal with Buffy, he can't even bear to look at her. Giles? No, the Watcher would stake him in an instant. Harris? Same. Willow? Well, that's how things went last time. She's the most likely to be sympathetic, though, he knows. She'll probably be even more so if he doesn't try to eat her like last time. His mind made up, Spike heads in the direction of the dorms. Of course nobody bloody answers the door and he goes to sit in the stairwell to wait.

He gets impatient waiting and goes to knock on the door three times before he finally hears Willow's voice inviting him in. He steps inside and sees the shock and horror on her face. For a moment, it does him good. It's been a long time since anyone was genuinely scared of him and it draws him up short.

"Spike! Wh-what do you want? Uh, a spell? I can do that," she babbles as she slowly backs away from him.

"Red, Red, calm down. I'm not here to hurt you. I need your help."

"Another spell?"

"No, not another spell. Those soldier types Buffy ran into before put a microchip in my head. I can't hurt people anymore. I'll explain it all to you, but you have to come with me. We can't stay here. The soldiers are going to come to get me, and you might get hurt."

"What? I'm not going anywhere with you. I'll... I'll scream."

"Willow, I just said I couldn’t hurt you, love, please. We're wasting time. You have to take me to the Watcher. I'll be safer there," Spike says trying to sound calm and reasonable.

"No!"

Willow tries to dart past him and he catches her around the waist. She's fighting him something fierce and he tosses her onto the bed. With a deep sigh he switches to game face and lunges toward her throat. The electricity slams across his brain and it feels like his head is going to explode.

"Arrgh! We don't have time for this!" he growls out holding his head. "See? Pain. Please, just please come with me to Giles' house. Grab a cross or a stake or whatever makes you feel better. I won't hurt you. I can't hurt you."

She lies on the bed beneath him and bites her lip. Spike stands up slowly and holds his hand out. A moment passes before she reaches up to take it. She pulls a stake and a cross out of a chest that sits under Buffy's bed. Spike hurries her out of the room and out the back way. They move quickly and he can tell the pace is worrying her.

"They've got patrols all over. We're going to have to avoid them as best we can," he explains.

"How did this happen?"

"It's a really long story. I'd rather wait to tell it to all of you. Though, I doubt anyone will believe me."

She lapses into silence again. It doesn't sit right with him. He's so used to her babbling away like a brook. He remembers how somber she was just after he got chipped the first time. The wolf having left her, he had felt a sort of kinship. He had just lost Dru, so he understood.

"He's not good enough for you, you know."

"What?" Her dark eyes look at him in surprise.

"Wolfboy. I know it's hard right now, Willow, but I know for a fact you're going to be happy again. Happier even."

She looks disturbed that he of all people is giving her a pep talk. He's a little disturbed himself. He went to the demon to get the chip out so that he could destroy Buffy and her friends, but things change. Or at least they will this time around.

They reach the Watcher's safely. They’re a couple of feet from the door when it swings open. Buffy stands in the doorway surprised. Spike stops and quickly steps behind Willow.

"Buffy!" she yelps and starts for the door, but Spike grabs her by the shoulder and pulls her back. He has to think quickly or he's going to end up dusted. He hadn't expected her to be here. He was going to try to work on Giles' logic first.

"Spike!" Buffy yells and steps forward stake raised. "Let her go."

"Calm down, Buffy. No one needs to get hurt here." Willow is fighting him a bit and he winces at a warning jolt from the chip. "Settle down, Red. Remember my promise."

Giles and Xander follow up behind Buffy. It doesn't look good. It doesn't look good at all.

"Stop! I come in peace."

"Well, you're leaving in pieces, dusty ones. Let Willow go," Buffy barks at him.

"I want a truce, like before."

"After what you did?"

It takes him a moment before he remembers the Gem of Amara fiasco. "That wasn't me. Well, it was, but... Please, just listen, okay! Willow, tell them what happened in the dorm."

"He said the soldiers put a chip in him so he can't hurt people. He tried to eat me but then he yelled and grabbed his head. He's being all...nice. I think he's up to something."

"Oi!"

"Let Wills go!" Harris yells from behind Buffy.

"Alright, listen. Here's how this is going to work. I'm going to let Willow go. Then I'm going to go over there and sit on the fountain. I'll stay over here and you all stay over there. I'll explain everything. Giles?"

The others look to the Watcher and Spike prays the man is curious enough to know what's going on. Giles nods and Spike takes his hand off of Willow. She scampers over to Harris and they all stare at him. He sighs and goes to sit on the fountain. A quick search of the duster pockets comes up with a pack of cigarettes. He lights one and begins his story.

"I've already done this before. Three years ago, my time, I got a microchip implanted in my brain thanks to the bloody Initiative. That's the name of the soldiers running around your school, ducks. Oh, by the way, your little boytoy Riley is one of the higher ups."

"Boytoy? I hardly know Riley!"

"For now. Anyway, I can't hurt humans. I can kill demons though. I started out helping you lot doing the white hat bit for some dosh and blood. Excitement, excitement, apocalypse, apocalypse, three years goes by. I'm not exactly one of the gang, but I help you out often enough. Then... something bad happened. So, I went to Africa to see this demon. He's supposed to grant you a wish if you pass his trials. I passed them. I wanted him to get the chip out, but instead he sends me back in time. Next thing I know, I get caught by the Initiative again and it starts all over. So here I am three years the wiser." He pauses to blow smoke over his shoulder before continuing. "I know every trial you guys are going to face for the next three years. I can help you nip every bad guy in the bud. All you got to do is keep me from falling back into Riley and his buddies' hands."

Giles pulls off his glasses. "You expect us to believe any of this?"

"Believe what you want. It's the truth. I suppose if you guys don't believe me, I can go down to LA and see the poof. Or, no, considering what the me that was here before I got sent back just did to him. Bloody hell! If you don't help me those Initiative bastards are going to experiment on me some more. They're probably already making an uber demon soldier called Adam. He's going to be your next big time apocalypse baddie. But your next problem is... Thanksgiving is next week?"

"That's right," Willow says quickly.

"Right. Joyce is going out of town and Buffy is going to make Thanksgiving dinner here. Only this Chumash Indian spirit busts in and tries to kill her. Xander gets syphilis from him or something."

"Syphilis!"

Spike smiles at Harris. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"How does the spirit get released?" Giles asks.

"Giles! You aren't seriously believing him, are you?"

"Buffy, until we can prove what he's saying isn't true, we have to take these threats seriously. I'm sure there is something that Spike is getting out of this, but if the threats are real it's your duty to stop them no matter how we got the information. Spike, answer the question."

"I don't know! I was tied to a chair and had arrows shot at me. Ask Harris!"

"I don't know what he's talking about!" Xander squawks.

"Listen, we can sit out here debating this all bleeding night and letting the whole neighborhood know, or we can go in, sit down, and talk about this like adults. I promise I'm not going to hurt anyone."

"What good is the promise of a soulless demon?" Buffy asks with a glare.

Spike refuses to look at her and says softly, "Better than yours."

He looks Giles in the eye and waits. Finally, the Watcher nods and the others file back inside. Spike puts out his cigarette and walks to the door. He places his hand on the barrier and waits.

"Come in, Spike," Giles says formally.

Spike steps in and tries not to let the defeat show on his face, but he knows his shoulders are slumped a bit. They say hell is repeating your mistakes. That might be true, but he's certainly going to try to keep that from happening. After all, this time he knows better.


	3. Pangs

"Are you actually reading?"

Spike shoots Giles a look and goes back to his book. "I can read, you know. I learned how before your grandfather did, so shut it."

"Have you found anything?"

"No, other than information about the Chumash being in this area, not much. Maybe we could ask the demon bird, she's one with the vengeance after all."

"I must say your helpfulness this past week has been surprising, if not vaguely disturbing."

"Imagine how I feel."

"I'd still be inclined to think you were up to something if Buffy's mother hadn't suddenly announced that she had to go stay with her sister."

"What you think I'm legit now?"

"Not hardly, but it does help your story. You're sure this demon is coming for Buffy?"

He had hoped that he could get around being chained in the bathtub again, but Giles had been cautious. It had taken him half the week to convince them that he really couldn't hurt them. Trying to be on his best behavior all the time about drove him right round the bend. Spike sighs and tosses the book onto Giles' coffee table with a bang and stands to rub his back before replying.

"For the hundredth time, all I know is I came to you lot for help on Thanksgiving. Buffy was cooking. Somebody had died, no I don't remember whom, and the gang went rushing off. It was just you, me, and the Slayer when suddenly it was like a John Wayne flick, arrows flying everywhere. The Indian turned into a bear and apparently he can only be killed by his own weapon."

"What sort of weapon was it? Perhaps we can start looking there."

"A stone knife."

The door swinging open interrupts them. Buffy struggles in trying not to drop the three grocery bags she's holding. Out of reflex, Spike relieves her of two of the bags before he knows what he's doing.

"Thanks Gil—Spike?" she says staring at him.

He rolls his eyes and carries the bags into the kitchen. Buffy follows behind telling Giles about a murder and the Chumash connection. Then she goes off on the number of shoppers at the grocery store. Spike tunes her out and goes back to the couch. He can hear them chatting away.

"At some point you are going to get back to the murder?"

"Oh, right. The only thing taken was some old knife."

"A stone knife?"

"I don't know. All the card said was 'Early 1800 Chumash knife.' There was a picture, but I couldn't tell if it was stone in it or not."

"Spike said that the spirit had a stone knife and that when you stabbed him with it you defeated him."

"Well, why doesn't Spike just save the day then, since he knows everything?"

The sigh Giles gives makes Spike suspect that he's probably cleaning his glasses. Maybe he should be the one to take out Squanto that might at least shut her up.

"Buffy," Giles says in that older wiser tone, "you have to admit that if Spike's story is true then his knowledge would be extremely helpful to you."

"Giles, I get that you're trying to be all helpful and Watchery, but Spike is a vampire. I'm never going to trust him. Do you even own a turkey pan?"

"Tell me again why we're not doing this at your house?"  
"Giles, if you would like to get by in American society, then you are going to have to follow our traditions. You're the patriarch. You have to host the festivities, or it's all meaningless."   
The weary tone again almost makes Spike smirk. Giles says, "And this is in no way an elaborate scheme to stick me with the cleanup?"   
"Make Spike do it. He can be all homey vamp and earn his keep."

"Buffy, Spike is not a pet."

"Too bloody right!" he yells.

Buffy bustles out of the kitchen and ignores him. "I still need to pick up a few things, so I'll check in. And you and Billy Idol keep your hands off the food."

Spike sneers while Giles replies, "Oh, I'll try and restrain myself from eating uncooked potatoes and cranberries." As soon as she's out the door, Giles sits and says, "So, what do you think?"

Spike begins to open his mouth to give a long list of what he thinks but then realizes that Giles wasn't talking to him at all. Angel moves out from the back of the apartment. All of Spike's hackles rise. The two vampires stare at each other.

"I think you're wasting your time with Spike," Angel says in a low voice.

"I meant about the murder," Giles says staring both men down. Spike has never understood how a mere human like Rupert can do that. He's not sure if it's Watcher's training or a bit of the Ripper still inside.

"This spirit you told me about fits the description of the danger."

"What the bloody hell is he doing here?" Spike demands.

"What you didn't see this coming in your crystal ball?" Angel shoots back.

"Gentlemen," Giles admonishes. "We all want to help Buffy. Don't you think it's odd that Spike came with a warning at the same time your friend had a vision? Perhaps this all means something."

"Perhaps the vision means Spike is the danger."

"Oh, don't I wish."

Giles once again has to be the voice of reason. "Enough. Can we focus on the task at hand? We need to know more about this spirit and why it's after Buffy."

Angel turns away from him and looks at Giles. Spike is aching for Peaches to start something, but he knows that he won't. Not on the Watcher's turf anyway.

"Do you know Father Gabriel? He knows the history of this place pretty well. His family dates back to mission times. He might be able to fill in some blanks."

Giles replies, "Ok. Well, I'll see about contacting him. Where are you going?"

"To watch her."

Spike watches Angel sweep out of the apartment. He's gritting his teeth so much they hurt. A quick look at Giles shows the other man lost in thought.

"It's funny. Here I am handing you everything on a bloody silver platter, and I still get treated like a monster. He sweeps in here and you're old buddies. I recall him messing up your hands something awful, Rupert. I bet they still tend to ache a bit when it's cold."

"That piece of metal and plastic in your head, if it truly is there, in no way compares to Angel's soul, Spike. Don't try to pretend that it does."

"Yeah," he mutters and stomps into the kitchen to have a bit of blood to take the edge off.

He sulks in the bathroom a while and paints his nails. Mostly because he knows it drives the Watcher barmy to wonder what a vampire could possibly be doing in a bathroom for hours on end. When he comes back out, Buffy has returned and Willow is there too. They're all nattering on about political correctness or some such. He thinks about the big speech he gave them before and wonders if he's going to have to deliver it again.

As Buffy goes back into the kitchen, Giles and Willow exchange whispers about Angel. Spike is still a bit pissed off, so he lies on the couch and tries to ignore all of them. Another knock on the door and Anya carts in a sickly looking Xander. It's just as entertaining as it was the first time. The former demon kicks him off the couch and lays Harris out. Spike sits on the coffee table and smirks at the boy.

"How's the syphilis?"

"Buffy! Some stake action please!" Xander whines.

"Don't be such a baby. Buffy'll slay the nasty Indian and you'll be right as rain."

"It's Native American. We don't say Indian," Buffy pipes up.

He and Giles exchange a look. Xander is still complaining on the couch.

"I don't see why he's going around killing people, but me I get syphilis!"

Willow whines, "He's just doing what was done to him."

"I didn't give him syphilis."

"No, but you freed his spirit, and after a century of unrest, he saw you as one of his oppressors," Giles supplies helpfully.

"What, so he rises up and infects the first guy he sees? That's no fair."

Willow mutters, "Like you've never woken up cranky?"

Spike gives Red a good smirk at that and pokes Xander just for fun. Anya bats his hand away and shoots him a look. He rolls his eyes and lets her minister to the boy, not that it'll help one bit. The group goes on about slaying the spirit and whether it's a good idea. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to say much because Giles keeps pointing out that he's already told them that Buffy's done it before. Her blondeness shows through as Spike watches her try to wrap her head around that one. Harris gets a little paler and Spike smirks even more. He's even more amused when Xander makes a comment about vengeance demons that sets Anya off.

"Good one, mate," he says after she marches into the kitchen to get away.

"Shut up, Spike."

"You know!" he yells loudly. "I think this is about where I came in. You couldn't get your heads out of your arses then either."

All eyes are focused on him, and none of them are happy. He soaks it up for a moment and tries to remember the speech he gave before. He then discards that thought and decides to wing it.

"Listen up kiddies. It's not about the bloody Indians, all right? This is about a nasty spirit that's killing people. Regardless of how you feel you've got a job to do. In a little less than an hour Geronimo and his mates are going to show up here and likely make you all really dead. Now there's nothing you can do about the plight of the 'Native Americans.' But you can stay alive and help other people. So what's it going to be?"

"Maybe it's the syphilis talking, but... some of that made sense."

Giles sighs and says in a tired voice, "I made these points earlier, but fine, no one listens to me."

They set about getting the place ready for a siege. Spike points out where all the bad guys are likely to be shooting from. Buffy continues to focus on cooking dinner with Anya's help.

It starts quickly. Spike is standing over Xander wondering aloud if the syphilis and other diseases will make him taste funny when there is the sound of breaking glass and an arrow lodges in the middle of his chest.

"Oi!" Spike yelps as the rest of the gang take cover. Harris rolls off the couch onto the floor as the opposite window breaks and another arrow goes sailing by. Spike drops to a crouch. He grunts as he pulls out the arrow. He distinctly ignores the snicker beside him.

"Ranged weapons everyone!" Giles yells.

"It won't do any good, Watcher! We need to get the big guy in here." Right as he finishes speaking, the spirit crashes onto the stairs and the others barge their way inside. He hears Willow scream as Buffy pulls her out of the way. Spike vaults over the couch and barrels into one of the other spirits knocking them both into the wall by the door. Buffy has already started in on the main Chumash trying to make him drop his weapon. He can hear Xander and Giles fighting off another in the hall while Anya screams. The Indian he's fighting manages to knock him back to the floor in time for him to see demon girl reach over Giles to wack another one of the invaders on the head with a frying pan. The door bursts open behind his attacker to reveal Angel.

"Here, take this!" Spike yells and kicks his combatant into Angel and then shuts the door to the courtyard. He takes a second to look over the battle like a general. Xander and Giles are holding their own, and Anya and Willow seem to be doing okay, but not for much longer. Spike moves over to Buffy and does a sidekick into the Chief's back. He and the Slayer double-team the spirit until she manages to spin kick the knife out of his hand. Spike lunges for it and immediately becomes the center of the spirit's attention. As Spike jumps back, the Indian morphs into a bear. Spike smirks.

"Not impressed, mate. Seen it before," he says and tosses the knife over the bear's head. Buffy catches the knife in midair and as the bear turns to look she brings the weapon home. The spirit dissolves into a sickly green fog before disappearing all together. The other spirits quickly follow suit. Spike looks around at the aftermath and claps once loudly. "So, what's for dinner?"


	4. Something Blue

Spike watches Willow flip through a magic book through half lidded eyes. Buffy and Giles are grumbling back in forth in the kitchen about something or other. It gets so that a vamp can't get any rest at all. Don’t they realize that he is supposed to sleep during the day? Willow gives a pathetic sigh and Spike tries to not rip the couch cushions up in a rage.

"All right, I'm up. You. Here," he says pointing to the redhead then pointing to the spot on the couch beside him.

The witch gives a little dazed look and he repeats the gesture more forcibly. Finally, she gets up and sits down beside him with a wary look on her face. Spike reaches out and takes her hand and holds it. She looks even more worried. It does his dead heart good.

"Spill."

"I don't..." she begins to protest.

"Ah-ah-ah! I don't want to hear it. You've been giving the teenaged 'my life is shite' sigh every five minutes for the past hour. Now spill." Even as he finishes saying it he realizes he's treating her like the Bit. Oh well, if she's going to act like it...

"Um, it's just... you know..."

"Dogboy? Willow... I don't know if it's right of me to tell you what I know is going to happen, because, well, with me being here who knows how everything will go, but I can assure you that it does get better."

"Do you have any idea how ooky it is that you're being all nice and giving me love life advice?"

"Who'd be better? I've got years of experience, me. Plus, I lost Dru after a hundred years. If I can move on from that, you can sodding move on from Dogboy."

Her pale face flushes and her hazel eyes flash with anger. Not for the first time he thinks what a wonderful vampire she would have made.

"But I don't want to move on! Everyone keeps saying that!"

"He left you, Red. Which just goes to show he's not got a bit of brains in his fuzzy head. I mean, look at you!"

Now she looks really disturbed and it's all he can do to keep from kicking her off the couch and going back to sleep. But he of all people knows what that will lead to, that stupid 'will be done' spell, and damned if he's going to be proposing to Buffy again. He can't... he won't let the Slayer rip his unbeating heart out again and trod all over it. Spike knows now that she'll never love him, and even the pale imitation of love induced by a spell would hurt him too much.

Giles comes in then and distracts her and he watches her move away quickly. A little bit of conversation and she's off like a shot with nary a look back at him. Giles stares after her and says, "She seems to be coping better with Oz's departure, don't you think?"

"She still has a way to go, but yeah — I think she's dealing," Buffy replies stepping out from the kitchen and munching on a muffin.

"See if you think so when you're blind as a bat, mate," Spike grumbles and rolls over on the couch to get some shuteye before nightfall. He's going to have his work cut for him.

That night, Spike heads to the Bronze. Giles almost refused to let him go, but he laid on some story about checking out a lead for something that's going to happen. The Watcher gave him a skeptical look, but didn't call him on the lie. The git probably needed some time alone. Spike knows that he himself is about to go nuts trapped in that cramped little condo all the time.

The Bronze is the same as it always is. He stakes out a seat near the bar and watches the crowd. He's had two shots of bourbon and three cigarettes before she shows. She comes in alone which sets off all his warning bells. He tries to be unobtrusive and his jaw literally drops when she asks an older boy if he'll buy her a beer. She drinks it slowly with her cute little nose turned up in an 'ew' face. Spike can't take much more and he marches over, yanking the bottle out of her hand.

"Just what the buggering hell do you think you're doing, missy?"

Willow blinks at him in shock. He's not sure if it's because she didn't expect him, or because of the pissed off dad voice he's suddenly using.

"Hey give that back! It's mine. I bought it!"

"No, you had some random bloke buy it, you mean. Of all the bloody stupid... do you even know that guy? He could have put anything in this bottle! Haven't you ever heard of ruffies? Date rape?" And now his vocal chords are working completely independently from his brain. It's like a sled going downhill. There are no such things as brakes. Spike silently curses all the time he's spent watching over Dawn. It's obviously affected him more than he's realized.

Willow too seems locked into their strange tableau. For a moment he wonders if she's already done the sodding spell. "You can't tell me what to do, Spike! You're not my dad! "

"No, I actually give a shite!"

They stand there panting at each other as the anger starts to fade. He's glad that vampires don't actually blush because that has to be one of the most embarrassing exchanges of his unlife. He glances around quickly and hopes none of the college kids staring at them are actually vampires that can report this to anyone.

"I'm not a little kid," she says softly.

"No, you're not. But the last thing I need is to have you drunk casting spells about willy-nilly. I will not be sucking face with Buffy!" he yells the last a bit too loud. She stares at him in confusion. Spike grabs her arm and starts heading for the door. "Okay, that's it, come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To get some ice cream and then back to your dorm. You can pig out and we'll watch crap girly movies or whatever it takes, but you'd better believe I'm not taking my eyes off of you!" Spike is hoping that whatever works for the Nibblet will work with Willow. It's not like he's got any other ideas.

He makes it through Pretty Woman with nary a grumble mostly due to the double double fudge ice cream distraction. His running commentary of My Best Friend's Wedding earns him plenty of shushing and finally a pillow upside the head. About half way through Steel Magnolias he falls asleep. There's only so much a proper vampire can take, and even the hopeful glimmer of Julia Roberts dying finally after three movies isn't enough to keep his eyes open. It's Buffy's entrance from an evening of Bronzing and slaying that wakes him up. She's none too happy to find him camped out on her floor. There are enough bad memories that he's not exactly happy about it himself. It takes a whole minute of arguing before he realizes that Willow is gone.

"No!" he yells and belts down the corridor. He takes the bathroom door hard with his shoulder. It slams into the wall way too loudly for this time of night, but Spike doesn't really care. Willow yelps. She's on her knees on the floor cleaning up what looks like candles. "No! You didn't!"

She's practically in tears. He crouches down next to her, whether to comfort or to strangle he hasn't decided yet. When she latches onto his chest and he feels his T-shirt start to dampen, he lands on comfort.

"It didn’t work. I suck," is mumbled against him and he lets go a deep sigh of relief.

"There... there, Red."

They leave the candles and things where they lay and he walks her back into the hall. Buffy is standing there, hands on hips, ready to cut him down with her sharp tongue, but the sight of Willow brings her up short. The two of them help the witch back into their room and Spike tucks her in. He can feel Buffy's eyes on him, but he refuses to look at her. A quick check of the blinds and he curls up on the floor between their beds with his duster as a blanket.

It's late the next morning when a kick to the head wakes him. Willow almost trips over him and apologizes several times before going to answer the door. Giles is on the other side looking worried.

"Giles, what are you doing here?" she asks letting him in.

"I'm a bit concerned. Have you seen Spike?"

He sits up and waves at Giles before explaining. "I got caught out. Willow was nice enough to put me up."

Giles looks upset. "Yes, um... Willow... I know that you're going through a very difficult time... But I hardly think it's prudent for you to be in such proximity to Spike."

"Ta, very much, Watcher. I'm sitting right here."

"Don't talk about him like that! He's being all nice and the rest of you treat him like dirt."

"Yeah!"

"Do shut up, Spike. Willow, we still don't know if this is all some grand scheme of his. I just don't like the idea of any of you children spending time with him unsupervised."

"So because you don't trust him, I get punished?"

"It's not punishment," Giles says exasperatedly. "I'm only saying this because I--"

And Willow goes off on a full snit. "Oh, you care. Yeah. Everybody cares. Nobody wants to be inconvenienced. As long as you don't have to hear about it anymore..."

"No, that's not fair."

"Isn't it, Giles? ‘Cause I'm doing the best I can and it doesn't seem to be enough for you guys."

"And I see how you could feel that way, I do—"

"No, you don't. You say that you do, but you don't see anything," she says grumpily and that seems to be the end of the discussion.

Giles looks away and removes his glasses. He rubs his eyes a bit, and Spike suspects that he's getting a headache. Who wouldn't get a headache with all this melodrama? Spike shakes his head.

"Let's talk about this later. Spike?"

"The bloody sun's out!"

"There's a blanket in my car. Up!"

Later that night, he's having a bit of blood out of Giles' novelty mug when he catches the Watcher flinging down his glasses in frustration. The other man is squinting at the book and rubbing his eyes regularly. Something cold clutches at Spike's stomach and the blood in his hand becomes even less appetizing.

"Giles?" he says softly.

"What do you want, Spike?" the Watcher snaps.

"You having trouble with your eyes?"

"It's just a bit of strain. I've been reading too long."

"That lying bitch!" Spike snarls and slams the mug down on the table. Giles jerks back to watch him grab his duster off the back of the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"Willow. She said it didn't work. Her 'will be done' spell!"

"What? When did this happen? She shouldn't be meddling with such strong magics!"

Spike strides towards the door. "I have to stop her."

"Wait, I'm coming with you." The Watcher gets up from his chair and almost knocks it over.

"You're going to be completely blind in an hour or two. Stay here. I'll bring her back so we can reverse it. Call Buffy." He storms out of the house and puts on speed toward the Sunnydale U campus.

He's not but a hundred yards from the dorms when he sees Buffy standing in the glow of a street lamp. He calls to her and when she turns to look at him, Spike knows there is something wrong. Her movements are slow and precise like a predator.

"Buffy? Where's Willow?" he asks from a distance.

"Vampire," she hisses in return.

"Uh, yeah, for a while now. Are you okay? You don't feel like jumping into my arms and confessing your undying love, do you?" Apparently not, because she gives a low growl and comes forward quickly with a stake raised. "My mistake."

He wheels about and runs off campus with a pissed Slayer at his heels. They fly past at a blur, superhuman speed pushed to its limits. Spike isn't sure where to go at first because Willow's already been and gone. He takes a quick left behind the Science building and aims toward Xander's house. It's the only other place she could be. His sudden change in direction doesn't throw Buffy off at all because he can still hear her little boots pounding the turf a couple of yards behind him. He goes in a straight line ignoring sidewalks. The backyards of Sunnydale get quite the disturbance as he vaults over fences, dodges snarling dogs and scares a few cats. Barreling through one hedge almost takes him to his knees, but he stumbles forward knowing that he can't afford to lose any ground to the angry woman behind him. He can hear Buffy having more trouble with the obstacles, and Spike ends up gaining a bit of ground. He pours on a last burst of speed making it to Harris' street. Anya is coming down the sidewalk in the opposite direction as he nears the house.

"Oi! Have you seen Willow?" he yells without stopping.

"No, what are you running from?"

"Buffy! Come on!" he grabs her arm as he runs past and pulls her along in his wake. They head around the side of the house. Willow and Xander are just coming out of the side door to the basement. Spike slides in the wet grass and finally comes to a stop.

"Spike! What are you doing here?" she asks innocently and only a warning jolt from the chip keeps his hands from going around her thin neck.

"What did you say about Buffy?" he snaps.

"What?"

"The 'will be done' spell is working fine. Giles is right now in his place going blind. I went to the dorms to stop you and Buffy's gone primal!"

"My spell worked?" Willow asks sounding genuinely pleased.

"Oh, you're lucky I have this chip, girl! What did you say?"

Xander looks worried and answers for her, "She said that Buffy only cares about slaying... and oh my god you said I was a demon magnet! Will!"

Red looks flustered, and before she can even begin to apologize, a grunt echoes from behind them. Buffy stalks down the side of the house with her stake ready.

"Vampire!" she hisses again. Before she can attack a Serparvo demon comes out of nowhere, knocks her away, and advances toward Xander. Buffy lunges at it and a snap kick behind its leg sends it kneeling. The two battle it out for a bit and Spike ignores them.

"See what you've done, you silly girl! Now fix it!"

Willow's eyes are already brimming with tears as she says, "I didn't mean for this to happen! Now you're all yelling again. Why did you... stop being so nice?"

He barely registers the flash in her eyes before a searing pain tears through his head. Spike bends over in anguish and clutches at his hair. Then everything bleeds to red and he loses all control. He can feel the demon completely untethered looking out through his eyes. The others keep talking as if nothing has changed.

"Great Willow! Now he's gone all grr... and why is he staring at me like that?" Xander asks.

Anya answers helpfully, "If you're a demon magnet... he is a demon."

Spike shoves Willow out of the way and grabs Xander viciously by the throat. The boy lets out a squeak before he tightens his grip. There's absolutely no response from the chip. Part of him realizes that with the magic that Red has been throwing around, it probably isn't even in his head anymore. He gives a slow grin. Suddenly, he's kicked away and the Slayer stands over him, stake raised.

"Demon!" Xander yells and Buffy turns. Spike knocks her feet out from under her and stands. The new demon has two big horns and beady red eyes. It grabs Harris and tosses him towards the backyard. Spike growls.

He catches the monster's arm and flings it into a tree before kicking it a few times. The girls run to Xander's side. He's still sprawled out on the grass in a daze. Buffy is fighting off yet another demon. As Spike draws near the boy, Willow vanishes in a blue ring of flame.

"Don't you dare run away from this Willow Rosenberg!" Harris yells, but Anya soothes him.

"I don't think that was her. I think it was D'Hoffryn."

"Da who?"

"My old boss. He made me a vengeance demon."

"This day's just getting better and better!"

Anya pats Xander's shoulder reassuringly and Spike howls. He grabs her and flings her away growling, "Mine!"

"Spike? Spike? Can't we talk about this?"

The words are meaningless. Spike pounces on the prone man. Xander lets out a 'woof' of air at the sudden weight and starts to struggle. He grabs the boy's wrists and pushes them into the grass above their heads. Xander's scent is driving him wild.

"You really are nummy. Let's see if you're moist and delicious as well," he growls.

Xander is frozen in shock as Spike licks up the straining neck. He snuffles under the boy's ear and grinds his crotch against the one beneath him.

"Oh god! Buffy! Somebody! Help!"

Spike can hear the blood gushing just under the surface and it's been so long. He runs a fang up the jugular leaving a red mark, but not breaking the skin. The boy is panting under him and that makes Spike grind his hips harder. The moment comes and Spike rests his fangs on the vein ready to drink.

"Let the healing power begin. Let my will be safe again. As these words of peace are spoken, let this harmful spell be broken."

Willow's words go almost unheard in the bloodlust, but when his frontal lobe goes off like a bug zapper, Spike pulls away and screams in pain.

"Oh, bloody hell!"

He rocks back and forth on the grass next to Xander who is still gasping for breath. Spike clutches his head and digs his heels into the sod. He can hear Buffy and Anya blathering and Willow apologizing a mile a minute. He looks over at Xander who quickly jumps to his feet and moves away. Despite the pain, he's glad that it wasn't Buffy this time. Plus, more than likely he'll be getting plenty of guilt cookies for the next week or two from the witch. All and all, it was better than the first go around.


	5. Hush

When the phone rings, Spike is closer than Giles so he answers. Not because he's a house vamp, no matter what Buffy says, but because he's bored.

"Giles' House of Debauchery. Spank you for calling."

"Give me that!" the Watcher says and snatches away the receiver. "Buffy? No, that wasn't funny and you can stop laughing. No. Yes... wait, let me write this down. 'Can't even shout; Can't even cry; The gentlemen are coming by.' You sure it's nothing you heard when you were a child? Oh all right. Nothing else? Um hm, well it could be. I'll run it by Spike.... No, there won't be any spanking involved! Goodbye, Buffy!" Giles all but slams the phone down in resentment. He looks over and asks, "Does that make any sense to you?"

"Oh, like you don't know anything about spanking."

Giles gives a tight sigh before responding, "The rhyme, Spike."

"Yeah, bunch of demons show up and take every ones' voices away. No big deal. Buffy takes care of it."

"Innocents could be harmed. You don't seem very worried."

Spike gives the man his best 'you must be joking' look.

"Spike, I don't think I like the fact that you seem unconcerned about some things and withhold information on others. That whole fiasco with Willow's 'will be done' spell could have been averted if you'd just told me about it in the first place."

"Well, you didn't do so hot the first time 'round. I just needed to take care of that one myself is all."

"And you did such a spectacular job," the Watcher says wryly.

Spike waves the annoying man away and goes back to looking through old books for naked pictures. It's not long before the door opens and Xander and Anya enter in the middle of an argument.

"Well I think we should talk about it now," Anya says obviously aggravated.

Giles mumbles to himself, "Thank you for knocking."

"If you don't know how I feel about you..." Xander wheedles.

Spike stands between them and watches the sparks fly. He'd forgotten how entertaining this was. At the time his mind had disregarded it when Giles had announced that he was going to stay with Harris.

"I don't. This isn't a relationship. You don't need me, all you care about is lots of orgasms," Anya announces loudly.

Spike pats Xander on the back and says, "That a boy."

Xander shakes off his arm and steps away. He's still skittish after the 'will be done' induced attack. Spike rolls his eyes and looks over at Anya.

"You should dump him, love. You can do better."

"Hey! Butt out of my personal life, Fangless!"

"Perhaps you shouldn't bring your personal life into the middle of my living room," Giles observes. "Why are you here, anyway?"

"Mom said you wanted me to swing by."

"Yes, I meant after sunset. I need you to take Spike for a few days."

"What!" the boy barks.

"What?" Anya doesn't look anymore pleased.

"Oh calm down," Spike says. "Giles' lady friend is coming for a visit. If anyone deserves a good shag it's him after putting up with you lot."

Giles shoots him a death ray glance. Spike, being already dead, just shrugs.

"He's not roaming around. He stays with me, he's gonna get tied up again."

Spike shoots the boy his own withering glance. "You are not tying me to that bloody chair again, you little sod. It was the spell! I'm not going to hurt you. That dank basement is punishment enough--believe me--without you adding bondage to your bag of tricks."

Xander flushes and grabs his bird pulling her back out the door. Spike chuckles and looks over at the Watcher. He receives a disapproving look for his trouble. For the rest of the afternoon Giles quizzes him on The Gentlemen. Spike admits he didn't have much to do with them, so he doesn't know a lot. He does tell the man about the three suicidal demons that threaten the Hellmouth right after. Giles takes down the information to research later. At dusk, the boy shows up looking very unhappy. Spike gets his duster and they're off.

As he's lighting up a cigarette, Harris says, "There are going to be rules."

"All right."

"You're just saying that because you plan on breaking all of them, aren't you?"

"It depends on the rules. Listen, kid, I'm going to be staying with you a bit. Neither of us are really happy about it, but there you are. Why don't we get everything out on the table now and save ourselves some grief?"

They walk a bit more before Xander stops and yells, "You tried to... eat me!"

"Which time?"

This brings the boy up short. "What?"

"Which time are you referring to?" He counts them off on his fingers. "Let's see, there was that time with Angel at the school when I first showed up. Um, Halloween, but I was more after Buffy then. I know I definitely promised Red I'd kill you when I came back after Dru left me and wanted her to do that spell. I'm sure there are a couple of other times I'm forgetting. Or are you talking about last week when Willow put the whammy on both of us and I had no choice?"

Xander gapes at him and crosses his arms. "If you're making a case for me tying you up, you're doing well."

"I'm just making a point. I'm a vampire. I've done nasty things, but you notice that the last time it took a spell on both of us before I'd bother. Listen, Harris, you and I are never going to be best pals, but we can get on if we both try. I'm offering, mostly because I'm probably out of my sodding mind, but there you go. It's up to you."

Spike turns and starts heading for Xander's house and leaves him on the sidewalk wondering. It's a few minutes before he catches up and Spike looks at him. He can hear the boy's gears grinding away trying to figure things out. Harris doesn't say a word until they reach the house.

"Come in, Spike."

The basement is as pathetic as he remembers. For the first time, he looks at it, and looks at Harris standing in it, and feels sorry for the boy. He remembers the crap jobs the kid slaved over just so he could pay his worthless parents for the privilege of living in such squalor. Even his crypt had been more appealing. At least it had atmosphere. Spike stops his thoughts there. The last thing he needs is to start getting soft on the Scoobies. His girl bonding with Willow was bad enough last week. He doesn't need to play mentor to the boy too.

Harris flits around cleaning up as if he had a real houseguest. Half way through he realizes what he's doing and just tosses the comic books in his hand back on the cheap little coffee table. Spike still hasn't stepped in further than the doorway. Xander stands in the middle of the room rubbing a hand through his hair. They both glance up at the same time and their eyes meet.

With a sigh, Harris says, "I can handle you trying to eat me. I've lived on the Hellmouth a while now, I'm kind of used to it. It was the other things you were doing that really freaked me out."

Spike tilts his head and ponders this news. He's trying to remember just what he did that got the boy so worked up. "What now?" he asks.

"You beat up that demon and then Anya all possessive like," he says not looking at Spike anymore. "Then you were all over me and... It was just weird, okay. And now you're being reasonable which is giving me the wiggins even more. I guess... I guess I just had you in a certain box in my mind, and now since you've shown up knowing the future or whatever and acting semi-decent you just don't fit into that box anymore."

"People change."

"You told Angel that night in the school that demons didn't."

"Yeah, well I'm evil. I have the tendency to lie a lot."

"Why are you helping us? Don't say it's the chip and you have to, because you really don't. I’m not stupid. I know that piece of hardware doesn't stop you from getting rid of us."

Spike finally makes his way over to the couch and sits down. He rolls his lighter between his fingers and thinks. Why is he helping them? He's survived three years of humiliation and pain. He could be using his knowledge to make sure the white hats don't win, and yet here he is in Xander's depressing basement like there isn't anywhere else he could be. The answer's simple enough. It's the girl. It's always the girl. He told Buffy and Angel once that he was love's bitch and it is truer now than it was then. He looks up at Harris who is still waiting for an answer.

"Like I said before, people change. Now, are we done with the Hallmark moments? I'd like to watch some telly, if you don't mind."

The boy doesn't look satisfied, but that's the best he's going to get any time soon. He flops down on the couch next to Spike and flips on the TV. They watch some crap made for TV action flick and he tries not to let Xander's questions eat away at him. They spend the rest of the evening like vegetables until it's time for Xander to go to bed. Spike moves over to the ugly orange barcalounger while the boy unfolds the couch.

He watches Harris glance at a coil of rope that sits on top of the workbench on the other side of the room. The boy looks back at him before frowning and undressing for bed leaving the rope untouched. Spike smiles and then grimaces at the sight of Xander's boxer shorts.

"It's a wonder the demon girl shags you at all with pants like that."

Xander glances down at his underwear and looks back at Spike with a grin. "It's not the shorts, it's what's in them that counts."

"Oh please," he says rolling his eyes. "By the way, when you wake up in the morning and can't talk, it's not my fault."

"What?"

"Demon thing. They're going to take everyone's voices. So if you have anything you desperately want to confess to me, do it now."

"Do we get them back?" Xander asks worriedly.

"Yes, git. Slayer does her thing and it's over in a day."

"Oh. Go Buffy!"

"Rah, rah," Spike says in a flat tone. He watches Harris reach over and turn off the lamp plunging the room into darkness. His eyes adjust quickly and he watches the boy squirm around on the bed and get comfortable. The room is quiet, filled only with the sounds of human breathing. After a while Xander breaks the silence.

"I always thought you were our coolest bad guy."

"What?" he asks and he can't keep the surprise out of his voice.

"That's my confession, and I'll deny I ever said it to my grave. Goodnight."

Spike sits silently in the darkness and listens to Harris slowly fall asleep. For some reason, he can't seem to keep the smile off his face.


	6. Doomed

"Bloody apocalyptic earthquakes. Now my chair's all wet," Spike grumbles pulling the orange barcalounger out from under a leak.

Xander hands him a pan to catch the water. "The quake just knocked a couple of pipes loose. The last time we had an earthquake, Buffy died. Should I be worried?"

"One can only hope."

"Spike," Xander warns. "There is a wrench hanging up over there by the workbench. Try tightening the coupling."

He sighs remembering the argument from last time. Spike is just too tired to bother. "All right, but if I fall and break my head...."

"It won't kill you so quit bitching. Here, I'll steady you. Just hurry up."

Xander hands him the wrench and stands there waiting. Spike isn't sure why the boy doesn't just do it himself. Maybe he's just amused by a vampire fixing things. With a sigh, Spike climbs up on the chair and starts tightening. He doesn’t even realize that he's leaning over a bit too far until he feels a big, warm hand plastered on his stomach.

"Vamp reflexes don't necessarily mean vamp balance, huh?"

Spike glances down at the dark eyes looking up at him and grunts, "You want to do this, mate?"

A couple of more twists and the leak drips off into nothing. Spike drops his arms and looks back down at the boy. Xander is staring up at the pipe and it takes two throat clearings before he realizes that his hand is still on Spike's stomach. He jerks the hand away as if it was on fire, which only causes Spike to smirk.

"There now. Any more jobs you need done around here? I could get my bloody tool belt, but we'd have to wait for the cheesy porno music to start."

He grins at the flustered look on Xander's face, but the boy quickly recovers with, "Don't flatter yourself, Fangless."

"What am I supposed to do while you're gone? I'm bored. At least Giles had books to look at." Spike complains, hopping down and tossing the wrench onto workbench too hard.

Xander grabs his keys and heads for the door. "So clean, do laundry."

"I'm not your sodding mum!" he yells to the retreating back. He looks around the room with another sigh.

 

A noise jerks him awake and he looks over to see a pizza box lying on the bed beside him. Xander stands over him with his arms crossed. Spike glances at the alarm clock on the side table. He's only been asleep for a couple of hours.

"You're in my bed!"

"My chair is still wet. When will you people realize that vampires sleep during the day?" he asks and rolls over to scratch his chest.

"Oh god, please tell me you have something on under that blanket."

Spike kicks his leg out to show the gray sweats he's wearing. He grabs the pizza box and starts rooting around inside. Xander sits on the edge of the bed and plucks at the pants leg.

"You're in my bed AND wearing my clothes?"

"My stuff is in the dryer. I'm hoping it doesn't shrink this time. Oh, and I cleaned and did your nasty laundry. You're welcome, you wanker."

Xander looks surprised and glances around the room for the first time. He looks at Spike, looks at the room, and then looks at Spike again. His mouth is moving but fortunately there's no sound coming out. Spike rolls his eyes and flips two fingers at the boy.

"When I told you to clean I didn't expect you to actually do it!"

"It's not like I had anything else to do. Plus, I'm a Master Vampire. I refuse to live in filth."

"You lived in that musty old factory."

"Shut up."

Xander reaches across him and snags a piece of pizza. "I called Giles from work. He's doing research on those demons that are going to try and open the Hellmouth or whatever you told him. He says the earthquake was probably a good sign. We have to head over there in a little while."

"Right, so we round up the posse and kick some demon ass," he says with glee. He hasn't gotten much action since Thanksgiving. The Scoobies weren't comfortable enough yet to let him patrol.

"Yeah, maybe you should get dressed first."

A change of clothes later and they head to the Watcher's. As they come in the door, Willow is babbling with Buffy standing over her protectively. Xander rushes over to the redhead.

"Will, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Xander it was awful. There was this dead guy all carved up and...and Percy called me a nerd!"

Spike tries not to snicker. Xander shoots a confused look at Buffy who just shakes her head. Willow misses all the byplay and keeps talking.

"It just made me feel like I was right back in high school."

Spike watches Xander comfort the girl by getting all indignant. "Stupid jock. If it wasn't for you he still would be."

"If I could, love, I'd eat him for you," Spike says flopping down on the stairs.

"Oh, thanks, Spike... I think. I mean, I know the... Percy thing isn’t really important, it’s the... dead guy on the bed."

Buffy looks to Giles. "Willow said that some symbol was carved into the guy and his blood had been drained. I recognize it I think."

Willow unfolds a napkin and shows it to the others. Spike hops up to take a look. They pass the piece around and the boy makes a rather lame joke, which he completely ignores.

Buffy says, "I’m telling you I’ve seen this somewhere before, I just can’t remember where! I mean... It’s like...”

“It’s the end of the world,” Giles finishes.

"Again?" the three kids say in unison.

"Told you so," Spike grumbles. They all glance at him. "What?"

"From the description Spike gave me several days ago and that symbol I'm pretty sure we're dealing with Vahrall demons. They doing a ceremony called the 'sacrifice of three.' They need the blood of a man--which they have--the bones of a child, and the Word of Valios."

"Bones," Buffy murmurs. "I think I know where I've seen that symbol before."

"Good. Take Spike and try to stop them."

"Do I have to?" she whines at the same time as he says, "Nothing doing, Watcher."

"We're wasting time."

"No, Giles," he says, "I'm staying here with you. Let Buffy take care of the bones."

"Spike, this is no time to..."

"No, you git. You have the Word of Valios. They're going to come here."

Willow stands up from her chair. "What?"

"The first go around, Buffy let the demon get away," Spike says ignoring the displeased 'Hey!' from the Slayer. "That's when you thought there was only one of them, not three. You didn't know what the Word of Valios was. You sent Willow and Xander to look in the museum. I went with them. When we got back here after finding nothing the demons had already come, knocked you 'round, and taken the thing."

"So it's an object. Show me what it looks like," Giles says sliding over a pad of paper.

He doodles a rough picture of the talisman, and the Watcher hurries away and starts going through his things looking for it. Buffy starts tapping her foot impatiently.

"So what's the plan?"

"Hmm?" Giles asks distractedly as he pulls out a jewelry box and paws through it.

"Giles! Plan!"

"Oh! Um, you should go try to stop the demon from getting the bones. Spike and the others can stay here with me to guard the Word until you get back."

"I don't trust you with him."

Spike growls, "Like I want the world to end? Go do your duty, Slayer. They'll be as safe as houses."

He watches her flounce off in a huff. When she grabs a crossbow by the door, he unconsciously steps behind the witch just in case she gets any ideas. Instead, the door is flung open and Buffy disappears out into the night. He sighs and tries not to think about when he used to have her back, always watching over her. Not that she needed it. Watching her fight used to be one of his greatest thrills. Spike shakes his head with a regretful smile. A hand on his arm makes him look up. Willow is giving him her worried look. He tries to think if he's ever seen her turn that look in his direction before.

"Are you okay, Spike?"

"Yeah, ducks. Just remembering is all. You know if it wasn't for you and Xander, I would have dusted myself on this night."

"What?" the boy asks joining them.

"The first time around. Dru had left me. Didn't know I could fight demons at the time thought I was completely defenseless. I had to live with, Harris."

"Hey! Remember who pays for the plasma around here, pal."

"Anyway, it was my lowest point. I was in the middle of ending it all when you two walked in and stopped me. Then when we were fighting the Vahralls I realized I could hurt demons. Cheered me up a bit."

"Aw, that's sweet," Willow says and pats his arm reassuringly then realizes what she's doing. Her face twists up. "In a violent, scary sort of way."

Xander munches on a scone and says, "And that's different from every other night of our lives how exactly?"

Willow gives a little 'true' nod. Spike shakes his head at them. Hellmouth kids definitely were a different breed. Half an hour later, Buffy comes back in with no bones. Spike gives her his smarmiest grin.

"Stupid demons! Riley even saw it get away. His team's on alert too."

Giles looks up from his reading with surprise. "So he is one of the commandos like Spike said?"

"Oh, um yeah. Did I not mention that? I thought I'd mentioned that."

"No, you most certainly didn't."

"Oops. Well, he helped me out fighting off the Gentlemen! I don't think he's as bad as Spike says. I mean, anyone that puts the whammy on him can't be all bad, right?"

"You just keep thinking that Buffy, and when you become a threat and they try to kill you and come after your mates here, I'll try not to say I told you so," he says trying to hold back his rage.

"Shut up, Spike. You're just pissed because they chipped you like a cookie!"

"Enough!" Giles yells loudly while Willow mouths 'chip you like a cookie?' at Xander who looks just as confused.

"Either way it's good that Buffy is friends with this Riley. We'll get more information that way. Right now we have a more pressing threat."

"Right, so we just sit around and wait for them to come? Have you noticed we've been doing that a lot lately?" Xander asks in a worried voice.

"He's right," Buffy quickly agrees and stalks toward Spike with a stake. "Maybe that's all apart of your plan, huh Spikey?"

He leans back with arms open. "Go on then. Stake me. See how far you get fighting those three uglies without my help. Let the world go to hell including your friends and Joyce and Dawn."

Buffy pauses and asks, "Who's Dawn?"

He realizes they're all staring at him. How the hell does he explain Dawn without them thinking he's cracked? Fortunately, the Vahralls take that moment to kick in the door.

"Good timing, boys!" Spike says with a snarl and barrels into the first Vahrall knocking him and his buddy back outside. He hears Xander and Willow screaming and realizes that the third one had been sneaky enough to come in the back door. Buffy brushes past him and starts in on the second one.

They fight side-by-side, spirit and strength. She isn't doing her usual quips, and he knows her mind is on the fight inside the house. She's trying to dispatch her enemy quickly so that she can help the others.

"Go! I'll hold these two off." Buffy's eyes flash at him and he yells again. "Go!"  
She pulls back and races inside. Spike backs up and takes a defensive position by the door, wishing he'd grabbed a weapon in his haste. Almost by magic, and who can really tell in this town, he hears Xander yell his name and a double bladed axe skids out the door between his legs.

Spike grabs it up and starts swinging with a roar. It does nicely keeping the two demons back. One gets a little too bold and ends up with a big gash in his arm for the trouble. Suddenly, just as quickly as they appeared, the Vahralls turn and run. Before he can fully mock them, he hears a thump and Buffy yelling behind him. Spike spins around and runs inside. The Slayer is sprawled out on the floor with her Watcher on top of her looking a bit worse for wear. Xander runs in from the back with a frightened look on his face. Spike realizes what's missing.

"Where's Willow?"

Xander turns to look at him. "He took her."

"The Word?" he asks helping Giles to his feet. The older man opens his hand where the talisman still lies.

"Why do they want Willow?" Buffy asks also getting up.

"It's obvious," the Watcher answers. "We have something they want, and now they have something we want."

"They really think we're going to just hand over the key to the apocalypse?" she asks.

"They're willingly throwing themselves into the Hellmouth, pet. Nobody said they were smart."

Xander says determinedly, "We have to get Willow back."

"Don't worry," Spike replies holding the axe up with a nod to the boy. "We know where they're going."

Spike takes the lead as they walk to the old burnt out high school. He's not straggling behind feeling sorry for himself like the first time, and it feels good. He knows that a change is slowly happening. For once the Scoobies are looking to him. It reminds him of the summer... the summer Buffy had died. That was the summer that he had become part of the team more or less. Of course, once they had gotten their precious Slayer back he was tossed out with the garbage, not even given a second glance. Spike wonders if part of that feeling had bled into his relationship with Buffy. It would explain the ending perhaps, but no, that was all him and Buffy's doing.

He watches her move past him as soon as they step into the school. The boy brushes up against his shoulder and Spike looks at him.

"Buffy's going to go after Willow. She feels bad because she couldn’t stop that thing from taking her."

"Yeah."

"So I guess the apocalypse stopping is up to you and me."

"As long as we keep the Word in my pocket where it is, we're fine." He pauses and looks closer. "You look worried."

"I love Will. I don't want her getting hurt, but..."

"Right now keeping the world from going to hell is more important," Spike finishes for him.

Xander gives a small "yeah" and stares at his shoes. Spike ignores the urge to clasp the boy on the shoulder.

"I hate this," Xander whispers and goes after Buffy.

The demons are down near the hole, much like they were before. This time, though, one of them is holding Willow dangerously close to the edge. He waves Buffy around to the other side before putting his fingers to his lips and giving a loud whistle. Three sets of jet black eyes and one set of scared hazel ones turn to him. Spike pulls out the Word of Valios and waves it around a bit.

"So which of you tossers has the guts to come take this from me?"

The Vahrall holding Willow tightens his grip on the girl causing her to yelp. The other two move towards him menacingly. He tries to keep the smile off his face. It couldn't have worked better if he told them what to do. As soon as the two are clear, Buffy jumps from the side and goes for Willow and the third. The redhead is tossed onto her hands and knees. Buffy takes out her rage on the third demon with a yell. The other two turn at the noise leaving their backs exposed. Spike goes after one, while the boy comes out from behind a pillar swinging his axe at the other. The rest is rather anticlimactic. Spike breaks the neck of his demon and then helps Xander dispatch the second. Only Buffy is left fighting. She keeps punching and kicking furiously. Finally, Spike's had enough for the evening and pulls the Slayer away to break the last one's neck himself.

"I wasn't done!" she yells.

"Look after, Red," he says quietly and picks up the blood and bones.

The blood he slips into a duster pocket quickly. The bones he slings over his shoulder. When he turns, he sees Willow still on the floor clutched to a kneeling Xander. Buffy joins them and crouches down to run her hand over the fall of red hair. Spike pulls the talisman back out of his pocket and looks at it a bit. With a shrug, he tosses it down the hole. The Hellmouth gives a slight rumble causing the others to look at him.

"Won't have to worry about that again. Let's get out of here." He bends down and picks up Xander's discarded axe. The others shuffle out ahead of him. They're not fifty feet down the hall before they bump into Riley in his uniform.

There are some accusations and some bad lying on cornfed's part. Spike just brushes past them all, not wanting to even deal with the commando. He waits outside not sure if he should just go or what. It only takes a few moments before Xander comes out. There's a big smudge of dirt across his cheek, and Spike smirks but doesn't mention it.

"Let's go home," the boy says with a sigh.

Spike knows he's still thinking about having to make the choice between Willow and the world. It's weighing heavily across the lad's shoulders. Spike decides not to give the boy any grief tonight. "Right."


	7. A New Man

"I don't see why I'm not invited to her sodding birthday party."

He watches Xander dig around for a clean shirt and mumble to himself about annoying vamps. Finally, the boy turns to look at him and Spike waits for the explanation.

"Look, Spike, It's not you—Well, okay, it is you, but a bunch of Riley's buddies are going to be there too. Do you really want to get nabbed again?"

"No," he says and internally winces when it comes out sounding petulant.

"Something horrible always happens on Buffy's birthdays. Willow and I just want to give her a nice surprise party like normal girls have."

"Why can't I go stay with the Watcher then? It's boring down here!"

"Because Giles is going to be at the party too. Just, relax okay? I'll... I'll bring you some cake."

"And blood. We're about out."

Xander pulls on his shirt and then proceeds to ruin it by pulling on the ugliest sweater vest that Spike has ever seen. He checks his pockets before heading toward the stairs.

"Yes, yes, cake and blood. God, my life is messed up," Xander mumbles as he stomps up the stairs.

Spike sulks for a few moments before he realizes what he's doing. Instead, he snatched up the remote for the TV and starts flipping channels. He shouldn't be surprised really. It's not like he's one of them. They never consider his feelings, the little bastards.

A couple of hours later, Xander comes tromping back down the stairs with demon girl behind him. They're apparently in the middle of another argument. It seems like any time Spike sees them together they're arguing, and as usual he's the main topic.

"I don't see why we have to ruin our whole evening just for him," Anya says giving him a dirty look.

"Anya, we talked about this. It's just this one time. I have to do this so he'll quit whining and maybe we can spend some more time together, okay?" Xander says tiredly. The boy sounds like he's been repeating the same thing all evening, and Spike doesn't doubt it one bit.

"When? You're always working and when you're not, you're helping Buffy. Now you want to waste our valuable alone time with a vampire! If you have better things to do, then so do I. I'll see you later, Xander," she says and flounces back up the stairs.

The boy sighs and hands him a piece of cake as promised. Spike follows him over to the kitchenette to get a fork. He watches Xander unload blood containers from a large grocery bag into the fridge.

"Ooh, leave one of those out. I'll drizzle some over the cake."

"You are disgusting on levels that humanity has yet to fathom," Xander complains, but hands over one of the bags.

"So what was that all about?"

"What?"

"You and demon girl."

"That? Nothing. Just eat up your cake. We have somewhere to be."

"Please tell me there is something horrible that needs ripped to pieces."

Xander rolls his eyes and replies, "Yes, it's a nasty monster called boredom. I'm hoping you'll slay it permanently and leave me alone."

Spike is confused by this, but decides to just eat his cake and wait. The suspense will hopefully be a refreshing break from the sum of his dull day. It doesn’t take him long to finish, and in no way does he regret that Buffy didn't bring him the slice personally.

Xander sits on the couch with his head bent back and his eyes closed. He is always quiet after a fight with Anya. In a way, it's a blessing, but in another it's kind of annoying. To Spike's unease, he is getting used to the banter he and Xander share. It isn't really a friendship, because none of the Scoobies would ever consider a vampire a real friend, but it is comforting and a lot less lonely than what Spike is used to. If it wasn't for Clem, Spike would have gone nuts most nights back in his old crypt. He wonders if that is why he hasn't bothered to go back there yet. In fact, he hasn't even mentioned it to Giles or the others.

"Done," he says to break the silence.

"Let's go."

Spike follows the boy out into the night. It's a nice one as far as Sunnydale is concerned. They only have to dust two vamps to reach the brightly lit two story building on the backside of Main Street. Spike has never been in the building before, and it's not until he sees the sign that he knows why.

"The library? You brought me to the library?"

"Yup. You keep complaining that you're bored. You said that at least Giles' place had books. Well, I may not have books, but I have a library card. We're going to get you something to read so you'll quit whining like a little kid."

Spike is surprised to say the least. He's not sure if it's because the boy actually cares enough to do something to help Spike out, or the fact that he chose the library of all ways to do it. Xander has to all but shove him through the door. Inside an older man greets them that in no way resembles Giles. Xander pulls him past the brightly colored kid's section into the main stacks.

"They stay open later on Thursdays because they show free movies in the little theater over there and a couple of book clubs meet here too. Get whatever you want, as many as you think you can read. You will--and I can't stress this enough--take care of the books we borrow because I am not paying any damage fees for you. They also rent videos over there so you can get some movies if you'd rather do that, but they don't have that great of a selection it's mostly PBS stuff." He pauses as he realizes that Spike is staring at him as if he had two heads. "What? Surely reading won't ruin your evil rep more than hanging out with us does."

He snaps out of his surprise. "Right, yeah, okay." He goes to pick out some books while Xander sits down to one of the computers to look up jobs on a local bulletin board.

That night when Xander goes to sleep, he leaves the lamp behind Spike's chair on so that he can read if he wants. It's just a small thing, but it makes Spike smile... for all of two seconds until he realizes what he's doing and stops.

The following evening is uneventful. Spike reads off and on during the day and is actually glad for the boy's thoughtfulness. Because of the brush off from the night before, Anya drags off Xander that afternoon almost as soon as he gets in from work and he doesn't return until quite late. He watches Harris flop on the bed exhaustedly. Xander smells like sex and Spike tries not to remember the last time he got laid. He knows how wild the demon bint usually gets, so he takes pity on the boy and flips off the light to let him rest. Spike lies back and listens to the contented snores that slowly fill the room. He dozes off before he knows it.

It's the scream that wakes him. In a fraction of a second he's on his feet growling in game face. Xander is cowered in his underwear over in a corner throwing objects at a Fyarl demon. The demon is calmly trying to explain its situation. The whole thing is so hilarious that Spike ends up sprawled across the foot of Xander's bed howling with laughter. The other two stare at him dumbly, which just sets him off again.

"Spike! Will you quit laughing and kill that thing already!" Xander bellows once he has finally calmed into chuckles.

"Oh yes, slay the nasty demon. Don't even try and understand what's going on." Giles says dryly.

Spike laughs a little more before looking over at Xander. "It's Giles! The meekest Fyarl demon known to man."

"Giles?" Xander asks in shock.

"Yes, that's what I said, if you'd have stopped to listen to me."

"He can't understand you, mate. You're speaking Fyarl. That's why he didn't know it was you."

"Oh dear."

The usual Gilesian quote coming from the beast's mouth causes Spike to snort.

Xander for some reason looks even more upset than when he thought a random demon was attacking him. "What happened?"

"This is all thanks to Ethan Rayne. You have to help me find him. He must undo this and then he needs a good being killed."

Xander looks confused and then looks over questioningly at Spike.

"Ethan Rayne did this to him and we have to track the guy down. We'll just hop on down to the Sunnydale Motor Inn just as soon as the sun goes down."

"Wait! You know where he is?" Giles asks.

"Well, that's where he was the last time. Don't see why he'd be somewhere else."

Giles gives a deep growl and closes his eyes. "You knew this was going to happen, and you didn't tell me."

"Oh terribly sorry, Ethan Rayne's going to turn you into a demon, Giles. There. It's your own fault drinking with him. What sort of idiot trusts an old enemy anyway?" The pair stare at him a moment. "Right, strike that last bit."

The afternoon is filled with tension while they wait for the sun to go down. Xander pulls on some clothes and tries to be a good host, but he's skittish around Giles. Spike gets fed up with playing translator quickly and after the third time of telling Xander something innuendo laden instead of what the Watcher actually says, Giles gives up trying. Spike goes back to his chair and pulls out one of his books.

"What did you get at the library anyway, Spike?" Xander asks in the silence. "I wasn't paying attention."

"You took him to the library?" Giles asks, of course it comes out in a series of burbling grunts, but Xander seems to understand his tone.

"Yeah the library. He was driving me nuts, so now he has something to do."

"What sort of books does a vampire read?" Giles wonders aloud.

Spike easily ignores their conversation, but he can feel their eyes on him and it drives him up the wall. He drops the book onto his lap with a sigh and stares back at them. They both just wait patiently.

"A couple of horror books for the sheer amusement factor, several classics, and three or four mysteries. Now quit bloody staring at me!"

Spike is grateful when the sun finally goes down. He explains that it'll be safer to move around in Giles' car, and after some arguing he gets the man's keys. He uses the walk over to have a smoke and clear his head. The Citroen is parked next to the curb and Spike grumbles at it. He drives it back to Xander's house where the boy and Giles are waiting out front. Xander climbs in the back and is promptly squished by the seat as Giles settles his larger frame into the passenger side.

"I still don't see why Xander can't drive," Giles says grumpily.

"I don't see why we can't just tell the Slayer."

"No. When I find Ethan I can clear all this up without Buffy ever having to find out that anything happened to me at all."

Xander jostles around a bit until he can pull his long legs around to sit Indian style in the pathetically small backseat. He leans forward and asks, "What did he say?"

"He said we could clear it up on our own. What he means is he's as embarrassed as all hell and doesn't want Buffy to find out."

"Oh."

"Spike, do shut up, and for god's sake if you can't find third gear don't try for third gear!"

The car makes a horrible wrenching sound again as he jerks on the gears. "Let me drive. Oh, and if you get any bright ideas about jumping out and scaring someone, leave it. Last time we had the whole bloody Initiative chasing us."

"I did no such thing! You're making that up!"

Xander leans up with a grin and asks, "Did he really?"

"You should have seen it. Watcher decorum right out the window. He was snarling and everything. Did my dead heart good, it did."

Giles gives a low growl and Xander leans back again. Spike just smirks and heads toward the edge of town where the highway leads into Sunnydale. They find the motel quickly. Spike recognizes it.

"You know, I think I killed someone here before. Seems familiar."

Xander and Giles stare at him. He ignores the looks and waltzes into the office to ask about Rayne. The smelly woman behind the counter doesn't want to give him the number at first, but some soft words and a few smiles have her eating out of his hand. They march down the sidewalk and Giles kicks in the door before Spike even lifts his foot. He and Xander exchange a surprised glance. Giles bursts in, ignoring Rayne's pleas and grabs the sorcerer by the throat.

"No! No! Don't kill me! I can't undo you if you kill me!" Ethan manages to choke out.

"Giles! Let him go!" Xander yells and pulls ineffectively on the Watcher's scaly arm.

"He's lost it, mate!"

"Do something! Spike!"

Suddenly, Giles drops Ethan and grabs the boy by the shirt. He tosses Xander across the room. There's a nasty thunk as the lad hits the wall next the bathroom and slumps to the floor. Spike shakes his head and kicks Giles hard in the side. It only knocks the new demon back a few steps and quickly he's all over Spike. A couple of punches to the face have him reeling and he can barely manage to get in a couple of blows to the Watcher's torso. Giles grabs his coat much like he grabbed Xander and tosses him across the room. Spike ends up in a heap on top of Harris as he's trying to get up.

"Oof! Get off me!"

"Oh, like it's my sodding fault!"

They pull themselves up to their feet ready to take Giles on again when Buffy runs into the room. Xander gives a gasp and shoves Spike backwards into the bathroom. He stumbles and trips over the toilet landing hard on his wrist.

"Ow! What the..."

Xander marches in after him and quickly shuts and locks the door. "Shut up! Riley's out there with Buffy."

"The soldier boys probably have this place surrounded!"

Xander yanks open the tiny frosted window next to the bathtub slash shower and then looks back at him anxiously. Spike stares at the pint sized window then stares at the boy.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"You're skinny, now move!"

Spike can hear the fight escalading in the other room. He looks at the window again and groans. Sticking his head out shows no commandos, but it's only a matter of time before they start doing a thorough search. He gets his shoulders wedged a bit but with some wriggling they finally pop through. His waist is another matter all together. He's always been slim and normally it would be no problem if his shoulders fit, but his duster bunches up and jams him in good and proper.

"Bugger."

He hears Xander's excited voice behind him. "Hurry up! Hurry up!"

"I'm stuck."

"What!?!"

"Do you speak English? I'm stuck!"

Spike kicks his legs uselessly. He hears Harris grumbling under his breath about stupid useless vamps and then, a strong pair of hands grab his rear and start to push.

"Watch it!"

"Quit bitching and start helping!"

Spike plants his hands on either side of the window and pushes with all his might. Meanwhile, Xander's hands are replaced by something more solid, his shoulder perhaps and the pair grunt and strain trying to get him the rest of the way through. The fight going on in the main room suddenly gets quiet and he can distinctly hear Buffy yelp Giles' name. There isn't much time. Spike thinks he hears the thump of boots coming toward the bathroom door and before he can yell, the duster slides a bit and he's tumbling out onto the ground right onto his head.

"Riley! What are you doing here?" he hears Xander say from the window above. Spike scuttles until his back is against the wall. He looks up and hopes that Captain Cardboard doesn't want to take a look outside.

"Xander?" Riley's voice asks full of confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm with Giles. Did you get him calmed down? Is everyone all right?"

"Yeah, Buffy stabbed him, but he seems okay. She's threatening Rayne right now. What are you doing in the bathroom?" The last question is asked dangerously close to the window. Spike flinches and wishes there were more shadows to hide in.

"Uh! I was going to yell for help. But you're here... so, now I don't have to. Maybe we should go HOME!" The outburst causes Spike to cringe. He rolls his eyes and reminds himself to make the kid look up the word subtle later.

"Why are you yelling?"

"It's all the excitement. I think I hear Buffy calling we'd better go back in. Coming Buff!"

"I don't hear anything..." Riley's voice says distantly as the lad ushers him back into the main room.

Spike takes the hint and slinks back toward Harris' basement while keeping an eye out for any soldiers. He hopes to hell that this little incident will be swiftly forgotten. His rep is already frayed enough.


	8. The I in Team

Spike sits on the stairs in Giles' condo watching Xander re-hang the front door properly. Anya is beside him and she appears to be admiring Harris' rear end. He tries not to let the distaste show on his face and from the confused look he gets from Xander, he obviously fails.

"I don't see why we have to help clean up the place. It's not like we went on a destruction spree," Anya says loudly.

"You're telling me," he agrees.

Willow shoots them a dirty look from where she's sweeping. "We're trying to do more stuff together. Poor Giles got all demony because we weren't around to help."

Giles comes out of the kitchen with a tray full of drinks and replies, "I hardly blame you or the others, Willow. It was my own foolishness that got me into that mess. I knew better than to let my guard down in front of Ethan. But I do appreciate the help, especially your skills, Xander. I'd hate to be charged excessively when I move out."

"Don't worry, it'll be good as new when I'm done. I've got all the lumber to fix the railing, and that hole by your mirror just needs a bit of plaster." Xander steps back from the door swinging it with a critical eye before closing it to make sure everything is working to his satisfaction.

"I notice Buffy isn't here helping, even after stabbing you. If I stab you, can I leave?" Spike asks.

As usual, Giles ignores the question, but Willow pipes up. "I guess she's out with Riley and his buddies again."

Xander tosses a screwdriver into his toolbox and pulls out a measuring tape. Anya gets up out of his way and heads for the tray Giles left out. Spike sprawls even more on the stairs not caring if he's in the way or not and receives a kick from Xander for his trouble. He contemplates pinching the boy's leg, but decides a jolt from the chip isn't worth it.

"I think Riley is okay, in an oafish kind of way. And I hate to agree with Spike here, but am I the only one with a big floating question mark over his head about this Initiative thing?" Xander asks while he measures the railing.

"Well, they do seem to fall into the 'good guy' camp. I mean they are anti-demon," Willow says pausing to look at Anya. "Probably pro ex-demon."

Anya exchanges a look with Spike and replies, "Maybe. I choose to feel threatened."

"You can say that again, sister," Spike grumbles. "Plus, you haven't seen the real nasty yet. Adam's no babe in arms."

"I'm curious if this Adam you keep going on about has anything to do with the warning Ethan gave me. Something called 314," Giles says examining his newly fixed door.

"Well, now that Buffy's all in with them maybe she can poke around and get some answers." Xander squats down to dig in the large toolbox with a frown.

Spike scoffs, "Not likely. She's probably too busy making kissy face with Cornfed."

"Jealous much?" Xander quips digging around in a bag on the stairs next to Spike's hip.

Spike grabs Xander's wrist harshly and practically growls, "Not jealous. Don't care about her or that idiot."

"Settle down, Blondie. I was just kidding," Harris says with surprise and pulls his arm free.

He looks away but he can feel Xander still staring at him. A distraction is in order. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"My palm sander. I'll need it for the new railings before I stain them, and for the plaster on the wall. I think I left it on the workbench back in the basement. I'd better run over and get it."

"I'll go with. Knowing you, you'll get jumped by something."

"Gee, Spike, I didn't know you cared."

"Don't. Just feel like ripping something to shreds."

Xander rolls his eyes and informs the others that they'll be right back. Spike considers pulling the door back off its hinges with an 'oops' but doesn't. He'd hate to hear Harris whine all the way to the basement and back again. The night is quiet and he sets a good pace that has Harris struggling to keep up. They cut across the corner of Peaceful Heights cemetery to save time. A small noise makes Spike freeze.

"What is it?" Xander asks.

"Don't know, can't hear anything with you blabbering."

Spike tilts his head and listens to the sounds of the night trying to find something out of place. Just as he hears something, Xander steps close and then gasps in pain. The boy tumbles forward and Spike catches him dumbfounded. It's the smell that alerts him. The marvelous smell of Xander's warm blood slaps him across the face before he really understands that Xander's been hit. There's more rustling in the distance and he knows that it's the Initiative. Spike throws the boy over his shoulder and runs at a full clip back to Giles' praying that his speed alone will loose the soldiers.

The others jerk in surprise when he bangs back inside. Willow immediately yells for Xander and rushes forward. Spike nudges her out of the way and carefully puts the boy onto a chair.

"What happened?" Giles asks worriedly.

"Soldiers. They shot him."

"What?" Willow asks in surprise.

"They were aiming at me. It's a tracer. Homing device. Whatever. It happened before. I'm a bloody fool for not being more careful. Harris just stepped in the way right before it hit me. We need to do something fast or they'll beat a path right to the fixed door."

Xander jerks up abruptly with a yelp. "Oh god that hurts! What got me?"

"Stay still, Xander. You've been shot. Anya, could you get me some towels please?" Giles says stepping over to retrieve a large medical kit.

"Shot? I've been shot! Oh... oh god! I'm going to die aren't I? Tell me the truth, Willow." When the girl stares at him teary eyed and doesn't answer, he turns to Spike. "Spike, you'd tell me if I was dying, right?"

"Hush. Come on now, get up on the desk so Giles can have a look at you," he says softly and helps the boy up. Giles hands him a pair of scissors and he gently cuts the lad's shirt away. Then, Anya is shaking towels at him with a white face. "Willow, can you take them? I can't use them to stop the blood. Adding pressure will hurt and the sodding chip..."

"Right! On it!"

Spike and Giles lower Xander onto his stomach across Giles' desk as Anya quickly clears it of clutter. The smell of blood is overwhelming and it's all he can do to keep from letting his fangs drop. Giles takes over from Willow and sops the wound to see the damage.

"Anya, there's a bottle of Cognac in the cabinet next to the sink. Can you get it for me?" the Watcher asks. "Willow, get the alcohol from under the sink in the bathroom please."

As soon as the two women step away, Giles shoots him a questioning glance. Spike leans over to take a look. "It looks like it's lodged between his spine and the shoulder blade. I think he'll be okay. It's not too deep. Getting it out is going to be a bitch though."

"Oh god!" Xander murmurs.

The girls return simultaneously with the requested items. Giles puts the towels back over the wound quickly.

"Anya, keep the pressure on with these towels. Spike, help Xander get as much of that Cognac down as he can. It's the closest thing I have to anesthesia. Willow, I need your help with something."

The two step away and start pulling out magic books and talking mumbo-jumbo. Spike pulls a chair around by Xander's head and opens the bottle. The boy's face is pale and he looks scared to death.

"There now, Giles is letting you have the good stuff. A couple of shots of this and you won't mind at all."

Xander's hand reaches out and snags his with a fierce grip. Spike leans him on his side a bit and puts the bottle to his lips. The first tug causes some coughing which makes him wince in pain. The second drink passes with a grimace. From then on though it's smooth sailing. Whenever Xander tries to slow down, Spike pushes the bottle at him again. The quicker he drinks the faster it will hit him. After about half the bottle, the lad's dark eyes are a bit glassy and regard Spike with pained amusement. The hand holding tight to his never once lets go.

By the time Harris is good and pissed, Giles and Willow have their spell sorted. Some chanting from Red and the lights explode around them. Spike curses softly and feels every hair on his body stand on end. When his eyes adjust he realizes just how true that is. They all look as if they've put their fingers in light sockets. Spike slams the bottle down on the desk next to a blinking Xander and tries to flatten his hair back down. It's hard to do one handed.

"I like fireworks," Xander mumbles drunkenly.

Anya gets a flashlight while Giles moves the towels and pulls on a pair of rubber gloves. When she returns, he starts to go to work. Anya looks over and catches sight of him and Xander holding hands.

"What are you doing? I should be holding his hand. I'm his girlfriend."

"That's fine with me if you can pry him off. He's just scared, is all."

Giles snaps, "Quit moving around Anya, I need the light steady. Actually, perhaps you and Spike should switch places. I may need his... expert advice."

They do as the Watcher asks and he finds himself looking over a shoulder at Xander's lightly tanned back. Giles seems to be doing all right and only needs occasional consultation. Anya and Xander, on the other hand, aren't getting on so well.

"Why were you holding Spike's hand? I would have done it for you if you asked."

Xander blinks at her a bit before replying, "Cause I knew he wouldn't make a big deal 's long as he got to watch me bleed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anya asks testily.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch 's all you ever do. Blah, blah, blah. I'm never good enough."

Anya looks hurt and asks, "Is that what you really think?"

"No, think you would be worse if... wasn't giving it to you all the time. Keep talking 'bout me not caring, but hell you jus' want a screw and some money."

"That's not true!"

"Isn't? Yeah, really is. Course wouldn't be my girlfriend if wasn't treating me like crap. 'S all I ever get... crap."

"How do you think I feel? All the time you act like you're embarrassed for me to be around!"

"Prob'ly cause I am!" Xander slurs loudly. "You jus' say whatever without thinkin' how other people feel. Don't care how anyone feels."

Anya is close to tears and she jerks away from the table and the drunken hurting man on top of it. "I don't care! None of your obnoxious friends care how I feel. They're always mean just because I used to be a demon. They're never going to like me Xander as long as you refuse to stand up for me."

Her outburst is met by snores. Xander is out for the count. About then, Giles pulls the tracer out triumphantly and shoves it at an embarrassed Willow. She runs for the bathroom and there's a loud flush that causes Spike to sigh in relief.

"I'd better sew this up," Giles says awkwardly. Neither he nor Willow seems to be able to meet Anya's eyes. Spike shoots her a sympathetic look.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asks.

"Yes, I don't think he lost too much blood."

"Good," Anya says quietly and then disappears out the door.


	9. Goodbye Iowa

Sometime later, Xander comes around groaning painfully. He's not as sloshed as he was, but he's still not completely sober. Giles helps him up off the desk and lets him borrow a shirt. It takes several minutes before he realizes Anya's not there, and Spike almost feels sorry for the boy.

"Where's Anya?"

Willow looks saddened and replies, "She left. You were kinda harsh with the booze and all."

"Oh, god. What did I say?" the boy asks rubbing his face.

"Something about her not feeling anything and how she only wants you for sex and money," he supplied helpfully.

Xander sighs. "Great. Harris genes strike again. I'd better call her."

Spike watches him slowly make his way to the phone.

"I still can't believe they were willing to shoot you with a civilian that close." Giles says coming over to stand next to him. "At least we got rid of the tracer before the Initiative soldiers could get here. We should be safe for the time being."

"No," a voice says by the door. They all turn to see Buffy coming in looking worse for wear. "It's not safe for any of us."

"Buffy, good Lord, are you all right?"

Xander puts down the phone before he can even finish dialing. "Yeah, Buff what happened?"

"What happened to me? What happened to you? You look like death warmed over. Spike has more life."

He flips two fingers at her while Xander snaps, "Your Initiative buddies shot me!"

Buffy's grumpy face is immediately replaced by shock. "Are you okay?"

"Sore but fine. It wasn't deep. Giles pulled it out of me. If Spike hadn't carried me out of there, we'd both probably be in a lab."

"Well, they're not my buddies anymore. They tried to kill me."

The others react with surprise. Spike merely shakes his head. It's the perfect time to say 'I told you so' but he's not in the mood for getting staked. Willow immediately goes in to mother hen mode and tries to get Buffy to sit down.

"What happened?" Red asks chewing on her lip.

Buffy starts in on her story of betrayal. They all listen quietly. Xander looks pale and Giles quickly helps him to a seat while Buffy finishes.

"And then this gate slams down behind me and I... I try to use the gun but it goes pfft."

"You're saying Maggie Walsh set you up?" Giles asks bringing Xander some pain medicine.

Buffy looks at the boy worriedly and nods. "It's not just me. They know that you all know about the Initiative. They proved tonight that they're not just happy getting rid of me, they'll take out anyone that gets in their way. Xander, I'm sorry. If I hadn't been so wrapped up in these stupid military games...."

"I'm okay, Buffy. They were aiming at Spike. It's just my usual luck that I got in the way."

He's surprised when she looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, Spike." She doesn't look happy to say the words, but he can feel her honesty. "I should have listened to you regardless of whether I like you or not... mostly not."

Spike isn't sure what to say at first. He shrugs instead. "You're the Slayer. It's not in your nature to believe a vamp like me."

"Wow, what was in those pills you gave me, Giles?" Xander asks staring at the pair of them stupidly.

"I can be nice!" Buffy says shooting the boy a look.

"What's his excuse?" Xander asks with a grin, but it's not as bright as usual.

"I'm evil. I get to be unpredictable."

Buffy waves the embarrassment of having to apologize to him away and says, "Seriously though, guys. I think you might all be in danger. I need to get you to somewhere safe."

"Safe being...?" Xander asks.

"Um, your basement for now. They haven't seen the two of us together as much."

"How did I know that you were going to say that?"

"Fine, but I'm not giving up my bloody chair," Spike grumbles and holds a hand up before Giles can protest. "Don't want to hear it! You shoved me off onto the blighter now it's time to have a taste of your own medicine."

Giles looks like he's going to get all stuffy an indignant, but fortunately they're saved his posturing by the door bursting open to admit Riley. The others jerk at the intrusion, but Spike merely groans and tries to hold back a growl.

"Buffy! God Buffy, are you okay? What happened?"

The Slayer stands with her arms crossed and a hard expression on her face. Spike smirks at Cornfed over her shoulder. He knows that pose by heart. It was directed at him often enough.

"Maggie tried to kill me."

Of course the commando doesn't believe it one bit and they argue for a while. Spike tunes it out. He's heard it all before and he didn't think much of it the first time around. It's only when Riley slows down enough to actually see him standing behind Buffy that he's pulled back in.

"That's hostile 17."

"Did they not teach you observation skills at GI Joe school, or did you miss that day?" he asks mockingly.

"His name is Spike. He's not a number," Xander barks.

Spike pats him on the back gently. "Damn right."

Riley looks fit to be tied and snaps back, "We've been looking all over the place for him, but you've known where's he's been all along."

Xander snorts. "Pretty much. Though you almost found him tonight. To bad your buddies shot me instead! Or was that you pulling the trigger there, Ri?"

"What?"

"Is that such a surprise?" Spike asks moving past Buffy to look the confused man in the eye. "You're working for a bunch of mad scientists, kid. Do you really think they give a damn about people who get in their way? They've already tried to take out your girlfriend. Why not her friends too? And the worst is yet to come. Your precious Walsh is doing her own version of Frankenstein. Pretty soon your little soldier buddies are going to be nothing but fodder for his plans."

"Get out of my face."

"Why? You're too blind to see me or anything else. Go back to your bunker and wave your flag, Private Ryan. You're not welcome here."

For a moment he's sure that Finn is going to punch him. The square jaw is clenched so tight, he can hear the soldiers' teeth grinding. There's a rustling sound off to Spike's right that means that Xander has gotten up. Nice to know the boy wants to defend him, even if he wouldn't last two seconds against someone trained like Riley, and that's uninjured. The angry blue eyes flick over his other shoulder to Buffy and apparently Finn's not happy with what he sees there because he's out the door in a heartbeat. Spike slowly comes down off the edge he's on and he can feel his body deflate a little.

"He could have kicked your ass," Xander says behind him.

"Yeah, but you were all ready to jump in, hurt or no. Then he would have kicked your ass, and we both know Buffy wouldn't stand for that. So I would have won in the long run."

A flash of teeth gets him a dirty look from both of them, but he can see Rupert smirking beyond and that's enough. Buffy looks hurt and she's definitely ready to take it out on him.

"Some vampire you are, making The Slayer do your work for you."

"Just shows I'm cunning, innit? Now, Giles, I'd appreciate if you'd take us back to the basement. Harris here needs a lie down, and I don't fancy hanging about while Captain Cardboard runs home and lets them know where we are."

"The sun's up."

"So bring a blanket."

"We should all go," Buffy says firmly.

Trying to get the five of them in the Citroen is like loading a clown car. Spike ends up in the back covered by a blanket. It's his only barrier against the sun and an irate Slayer who's scrunched up next to him. Xander is sideways in the passenger seat to protect his back with Willow partly on his lap. Red yelps an 'ow' anytime Giles has to shift into lower gears because the shifter keeps smacking her in the knee.

"Tell me again why you bought this, Watcher?" Spike grumbles under the blanket. He's not surprised when he doesn't receive a response. He is surprised that they all make it to Harris' alive.

The accommodations are sparse when it's just him and the boy but the five of them is ridiculous. Spike flops down in his chair before any of them can get any designs on it. He's not sleeping on concrete for any of them. There are a few minutes of amusement as Giles works himself into the beanbag chair on the floor. The kids pile up on the bed together like a litter of puppies. Their choice of television shows is nauseating. He can't even read because he knows full well that Buffy will have something to say about it. In an hour or so though, she's out like a light after her hard day, so Spike can finally pull out one of his books. Willow, who is curled up with Xander, looks at him curiously. He can see her out of the corner of his eye twisting her head to the side to try and read the title. With a sigh, he reaches under the chair, pulls out a Jane Austin, and tosses it at her. When she opens her mouth to say something stupid, he keeps her silent with a hard look. The two of them read quietly while The Slayer and her Watcher sleep and Xander drools at Baywatch.

It's late in the morning when the TV wakes him. Spike opens his eyes in time to see Giles try to pry himself out of the beanbag accompanied by cartoon sound effects. He can't help but chuckle. The Watcher grumbles a bit at the noise and flips the TV off which is fine with him because he needs some more sleep. That plan gets shot as Xander tramps down the stairs with a big tray full of food.

"Turn the TV on now!"

The News blares on and they catch the tail end report about a boy being skewered then mutilated. Spike has some pleasant flashbacks after this news and almost misses Buffy's announcement.

"The Polgara demon had a skewer in its arm. That's the one Maggie insisted we bring back alive."

He says, "It's a part of Adam now."

"And I helped them catch it... God."

Willow wraps her arms around the other girl. "Buffy, it's not your fault."

"I'd better go check out the scene. We need to find out what this Adam guy is up to."

"Buffy, if what Spike tells me is correct, you may not be strong enough to destroy Adam on your own," Giles says worriedly.

Buffy shoots Spike an angry look. "I don't care. I have to do this, Giles."

They watch her gather her things and leave. Xander sighs and starts handing out the food on the tray. Willow gets cereal while Giles is handed a bagel. Xander hands him a mug of blood, and then to his surprise, the box of Fruit Loops.

"What?" the boy says. "I know you like to put it in your blood."

"I am trying to eat over here," Giles warns.

"You know, I should really get back to campus. There's some stuff I have to get," Willow says handing the last of her cereal over to Xander.

"Well, do be careful, Willow."

"I will, Giles. Promise."

As the girl stoops to get her things next to his chair, Spike leans over and whispers, "Gotta catch up with your witch, eh?"

She stands and looks at him nervously. Spike gives her a small smile and tosses his head back toward the stairs telling her to go. Willow flashes him a quick grin and scurries out.

Xander watches her go with a mouthful of cereal he says, "Guess it's just us men folk. Who wants to play some poker?"

Giles and Spike stare at him in disgust. He has the grace to blush and finally swallow. Giles doesn't look to excited by the prospect, but Spike talks him into it. After all, it's a good way to pry some money off the git. They play for an hour or two before Buffy barges in the side door helping a shaking Riley to the bed.

"What'd you bring him here for, Buffy?" Spike snarls.

"He's sick. Shut up!"

Spike watches the soldier shake and scratch his hand until it's bleeding. Riley ignores Buffy's attempts to get him to lie down.

"I thought I knew, but I don't know anything..." Riley mumbles. He curls up into a ball and finally rests.

"You're just sick. You'll be okay," Buffy whispers and rubs her hand through his hair. When she's sure he's asleep she steps back over to them.

Spike looks at the soldier seriously before turning to her. "He's got bugs under his skin, Buffy. He looks like he's clucking."

"What?"

Giles replies, "Withdrawal, Buffy."

"Withdrawal?"

"Makes sense doesn't it?" Spike says. "They're doing experiments down there. Of course they're going to experiment on their own. Who knows what they've been doping him with?"

"Maggie must have kept records somewhere. About Riley, about 314, about all of it. And I'm sure she wasn't the only person that knew what she was up to."

"So what's the plan?" Xander asks.

"Xander, you and I are going undercover."

"Wait just a bloody minute!" He growls at her. "You can't take the boy. He's still hurt."

"Okay could you stop calling me 'the boy'? So a man here."

Spike ignores him. "I've been down there before. I should go with you."

"Spike, first of all, I don't trust you. I know you've been helping, but I just don't, okay? Secondly, they have all sorts of monitoring equipment. They'll know you're a vampire. There's no way I could take you. Giles doesn't exactly scream American military. Xander has to be it. Plus, he has the military experience from that Halloween."

"It's not right. He's not a hundred percent. You're just going in there asking for trouble."

Suddenly, a hand is on his shoulder, and Spike turns. Xander looks at him and says seriously, "I'll be careful. Promise."

He stares at the lad for a moment before jerking away. "Go get both your heads blown off. S'not like I care."

When the two of them leave, Spike feels eyes on him and looks over at Giles. The Watcher is looking at him with one eyebrow raised. It's stupid because only he can get away with that expression.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what that was all about, Spike?"

"No, Rupert, I'm really not."

They spend the next few minutes in silence until Willow shows back up babbling about a spell that didn't work. When she tries to explain it to Giles to figure out what went wrong, Spike has a good notion it was probably Glinda, but he doesn't say. It's too soon to bring all that up. Maybe there is some way he can talk to her on the sly and ease her mind. He's always liked Tara.

In the middle of their conversation, Finn gets up and starts interrogating them as to Buffy's whereabouts. When Giles lets him know that they've gone off to the Initiative, solder boy freaks and plows through Willow to get to the stairs. Spike manages to catch her before she hits the hard concrete floor.

"Thanks, Spike."

"No problem, Red. I just hope genius there doesn't blow it for Buffy and Xander."

Spike waits impatiently as the rest of the day drags on. Finally, after what seems an eternity, Xander comes limping back into the basement. Willow and Giles quickly hover until they get him to lie down on the bed.

"What happened?" Giles asks.

"We ran into Adam. Man he's strong. He killed another scientist guy, someone who was working under Walsh. Maggie's dead by the way. Riley failed to mention that. Adam tossed me, Riley, and Buffy around like we were nothing. I hit my back again on the wall when he threw me. Then he just walked away. Riley's buddies showed up and drug him off. They escorted Buffy and me back out. That's it. She went back to the dorm. Maggie's attempt on Buffy was apparently personal. She said we could all go back home for now."

"I'd better go back to the dorm. She might need me," Willow says patting his hand before she leaves.

Giles nods. "Yes, I should get back to trying to find the spell Spike mentioned." He looks at Spike. "I don't suppose you have any details."

"Not really. I missed most of it."

"Well, I shall keep looking. Xander, get some rest."

"Thanks, Giles. I will."

When it's just the two of them again, Spike helps Xander out of his shirt. The wound is bleeding again after his rough treatment, so Spike helps clean him up and re-bandage it. He puts Xander safely in bed and it's not long before he's sleeping like a baby. Spike pulls on his coat and goes out to kill some demons. If it's one thing he hates, it's feeling useless.


	10. This Year's Girl

Spike is laid back in the barcalounger watching Xander's back muscles twitch and move under the plain white T-shirt he's wearing. Harris has been futzing with the Initiative zap gun for the last hour and from the various noises coming from the boy, it hasn't been going well. The bed is folded up as a couch for once. Willow and Giles sit on it drinking Kool-aid and discussing her classes. Spike hasn't been this bored in ages.

"How's it coming?" he asks without real interest.

There's a wordless grumble for a response. Buffy takes that moment to come out from the bathroom and looks over her troops. Giles and Willow get a soft smile, Xander gets a worried look, and he gets a wrinkled up nose. Spike is too tired to bother flipping her off. Their Scooby meeting is interrupting his prime sleep time.

"So can you repair it?" the Slayer asks standing on her toes to peek over Xander's shoulder.

"Sure. Just as soon as I get my masters degree in advance starship technology," Harris grumbles and throws down his pliers.

Spike gets up and takes a look at the thing that brought him down. He sniffs it a bit and pokes at the wires. Xander stands beside him and the pair stare at it like a couple of shade tree mechanics. Spike lights a cigarette and puffs thoughtfully.

"What do you think?" Harris asks.

"I've messed around a bit in my time, but I've never been much for wiring and such."

"You want to give it a shot?"

"No thanks, I get enough Initiative zaps as it is," he says tapping his temple.

Buffy looks impatient. "Just tell me, can you two repair it or not?"

"I'm working on it. I'm working on it," Xander grumbles and goes back to twiddling. This time Spike stands over his shoulder and does some backseat tinkering.

Willow, Buffy, and Giles start having a discussion behind them. Extra patrols... are you tired? Blah, blah, blah... Spike tunes them out and watches the boy work.

"No, no, try the blue one."

Xander tries the blue one. A big spark flies out making Spike rear back. Xander jerks his hands away and starts shaking them out. The gun gives off a big puff of smoke and the boy shoots him a murderous look. He merely shrugs.

"Maybe you should have tried the yellow one?"

"You... you... vampire!"

Spike rolls his eyes. "Yeah, what of it? Be glad, that's not even a fraction of what it's like when the chip goes off."

Xander sucks on his fingers and gives him a sympathetic look. The puppy dog eyes are too much for him, so he looks back at the others. As usual, they missed the whole drama.

After a while, Giles heads home and they all gear up for patrol. Buffy moves off on her own. She's got her mind on Finn, so Spike sticks with the other two. He listens to Willow and Xander's idle chatting and it's almost soothing. Their quiet conversation is a nice background murmur and Spike lets it wash over him as he stretches out his senses looking for trouble.

They make their way through a clump of trees when he hears Buffy's heartbeat suddenly speed up. Spike quickens his pace and the three of them find what has the Slayer so upset. A demon is strung up between two trees and is cracked open from stem to stern. It's a lot like that alien autopsy film that Xander watches occasionally because he knows it amuses Spike even though he gets grossed out every time. Someone's lit a fire inside the poor beast to show off his handy work. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out whom. After that, they don't bother finishing out patrol.

Back in the basement and Buffy is pacing. She is staring off into nothing. The others are quiet. Spike never thought something like that would bother them. Sometimes it seems as if nothing fazes these kids.

"I've never seen anything like that," Buffy says finally.

Xander nods. "And I can go a long healthy stretch without seeing anything like that again."

"Eh, I've done worse."

The three of them look at him. He's as unapologetic as usual. Xander digs around in the ancient fridge and pulls out sodas for the girls. Neither of them accepts the offer. He heats up some blood instead.

"He's studying biology," Buffy surmises. "Human, demon—whatever he can get his hands on and tear apart."

"That fits. He wanted human and demon body parts to make more like him. He's obsessed," Spike says taking the blood from the boy.

"Tell me, Spike. Tell me what happened. How did we stop this thing?"

"I wasn't exactly around for the planning part, Buffy."

"Then where were you? You want us to trust you, then start talking!"

"Fine. I don't know what you lot did because at the time I was working with Adam." He can't look up at them, but the silence tells him enough. "Back then, I was living in a crypt in Restfield. Adam came to me. He said that he could get the chip out. At the time, it was all I cared about, so I went along."

He looks up and catches Xander's eyes. He's not quite sure what emotion he sees. Buffy's anger is obvious to anyone.

"You're working with him aren't you? This is some big set up... this, this future crap!"

"No."

"No?"

"Buf—Slayer, I'm not a good guy. I'm not one of you bloody white hats. I never said I was. I made my choices then the way I usually do, but I'm different now. Things... are different now. I want rid of Adam just as badly as you do."

"Why?" Willow whispers.

"He can't get the chip out, Red. Even if he could he wouldn't want to. My life revolved around getting this piece of sodding plastic and metal out of my head. That's why I made the deal, not that it did Adam or me any good. I lived for almost four years with this thing. Hell, I've given up thinking I could ever get it out. I can't be a demon with it, and I can't be a man with the demon still there. I don't know what I am anymore. But I have learned one thing. No matter what this Hellmouth throws out, no matter what big bad thinks he can take over this town, you Scoobies and the Slayer are all that's ever left standing. There's no point in throwing in with the bad guys. Maybe that's why I'm here. I don't know."

Spike jumps to his feet. As usual his mouth has gotten away from him. There's plenty that Buffy doesn't need to know. He pulls on the duster and looks at the others.

"I'll do a quick sweep, though I doubt anything will be out tonight after that. Word spreads fast in the demon world," he says and quickly is out the door.

He comes back late. The girls are gone and Xander is in bed. Quietly, he slips out of his coat and sits down on the barcalounger. The boy's breathing changes in the darkness and Spike knows he's awake.

"Riley showed," Harris says sleepily.

"Hoo-feckin'-rah."

There's a snort from the pillow. "I asked him if he had a chip in his head."

"And did he?" Spike asks with a snicker.

"He just looked at me funny."

He remembers the chip in soldier boy's chest and how Adam controlled him, but doesn't mention it. Payback's a bitch. He listens to Xander drift back asleep, and closes his eyes.

The next evening, they all head over to Giles'. First thing, Buffy blurts out his deal with Adam. Giles seems to think that she means right then and he sits through being threatened a while before Xander can explain that Buffy meant the first time around. The Watcher gets a contemplative look on his face while Willow haltingly fills him in on the cut up demon. Riley shows Xander how the Initiative stun gun works, much to the boy's chagrin. Spike just sits quietly. He is afraid to open his mouth. He can't seem to keep from spilling everything when he talks, so he's decided to not talk at all. They discuss trying to get plans for Adam.

"Well, if there are any files they'll be in the Initiative," Buffy says with a frown.

Giles sets a tea tray on the table. As he's pouring he says, "Which we can't even get into without mounting a major offensive."

"Speak for yourself," Riley replies. At their looks, he adds, "I'm just saying."

"I must admit, a man on the inside would be, uh...." Giles trails off. Funny thing, he's not looking at Riley when he says it, but at Spike.

He quirks an eyebrow at the Watcher while the others discuss Riley being a double agent. He catches the tale end of Sergeant Beefcake's reply.

"... I will share information. It's the least I can do."

"Riley's right. It's the least he can do," Xander adds with a hint of venom. Getting shot has certainly gone a long way toward the boy seeing Spike's point of view.

The phone interrupts their strategy session, and Giles answers. He quickly hands the phone to Buffy. Whoever is on the other end, it's not good news. Buffy looks upset when she finally hangs up.

"What is it?" Giles asks.

"It's Faith. She's awake. She beat someone up, took her clothing, and disappeared out of the hospital. No one knows where she is."

"I'd say this qualifies as the 'worst timing ever' award," Harris quips.

The group discusses what to do about Faith for a while. In the silence when they're done, Riley and Spike ask simultaneously, "Who's Faith?" They stare at each other with contempt but neither of them gets an answer.

Buffy runs off to patrol while the others make going home noises. Spike falls in behind Xander as they head back toward the basement. The boy is unusually quiet which makes him itch.

"So, what's your beef with this Faith?" he asks.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Shame I was off with Dru when she was here. From the way you're all acting, she must be my kind of Slayer."

"She's not anybodies kind of Slayer."

"Ah, old girlfriend?" he says knowingly.

Xander stops dead on the sidewalk and turns to glare at him. He smiles back sweetly.

"I don't think I could have ever called Faith my girlfriend. Listen, I'm not going to tell you no matter how much you annoy me, so just drop it, okay?"

Spike holds his hands out in a 'who me?' expression, but Xander just turns on his heel and keeps walking. He makes a mental note to ask Willow later and lay on the 'Will Be Done' guilt to get the answer.

The next night, Spike and Xander show up at Giles' and find the Watcher ready for patrol. They exchange a look and follow the man out into the night. Giles fills them in on Faith's attack on Buffy. Spike frowns.

"Why can't things like this happen at night where I can watch? I mean two Slayers going all out? They could sell that on pay per view, they could."

Giles shoot him a dark look, but Xander grins. It's not long before he and Harris are walking behind the Watcher acting like bratty kids asking 'are we there yet?' and whatnot. Giles has more patience then they thought and does a good job of ignoring them. It takes him a good half an hour before he snaps.

"Xander! If you do not shut up, I will gladly tell Spike all the details of your relationship with Faith. Then, perhaps, he'll have someone else to target this childishness at."

Xander shuts up, which takes a lot of the fun out of patrol seeing as how they aren't finding any nasties to fight. They make their way towards the Bronze because it's always a good hotspot, when Xander breaks away from them at a trot. He and Giles follow only to realize that the boy has spotted Anya walking down the street.

"Anya! An, wait!"

"Go away, Xander. I don't want to talk to you."

"Please, let me explain. I've tried to call you."

The former demon whirls around and crosses her arms. "I know. I've stopped answering my phone because you are the only one who calls me."

"Anya, please. Whatever I said, I didn't mean it. I was drunk and I say stupid things when I'm drunk."

"Yes, I know. It runs in your family."

Xander cringes at this. Giles looks like he would pay money to be anywhere else. Spike just watches with interest.

"I'm an idiot, but you knew that. I'm sorry."

"Xander. Just because you're sorry doesn't mean the things you said weren't true. If you felt that way, you should have said something to me. Now I feel betrayed and I don't like it. I've done a lot of shopping and it's helped a bit, but I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive you yet, or even if I should. Now go away."

As she turns, Giles leans forward and says, "Um, I don't suppose you've seen a Slayer by the name of Faith around? She's about your height, long dark brown hair... she may exhibit some disturbing behavior...."

"She's nuts," Spike explains helpfully.

"Why are you looking for a crazy Slayer?" Anya asks.

Spike shrugs. "Because she wants to kill Buffy, or all of them, I don't know. They won't explain it much."

"She wants to kill you all? Good. If I see her, I'll point her in your direction."

"An!" Xander yelps, but demon girl has already stomped away.

After that, Xander is quiet the rest of the way through patrol. They split up and head for home unsuccessful. Xander drags his feet most of the way to the basement. No sooner are they inside, but he flops down on the bed face first. Spike knows that feeling so he lets the kid wallow.

"Chicks, mate," he says derisively and flips on the TV.


	11. Who Are You?

He's flopped on Giles' couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table despite the looks he keeps getting from the Watcher. Xander is slumped next to him. The boy's been crap company since they ran into Anya on the street. Spike even ended up fielding a phone call from Xander's current employer because the git wouldn't get out of bed. Now he's lost yet another job, not that Spike's yelling had anything to do with it, of course. They're just waiting around when Buffy finally deigns to join them.

"The Scooby gang's all here. Willow, Xander, and," she pauses looking at him, "everybody. What's up?"

"It's about Faith, not surprisingly," Giles answers.

"Didn't Joyce tell you? I already kicked that ass."

"Bloody hell, I miss everything," Spike mumbles and slides down further into the couch.

"Where is she?" Willow asks.

"On her way to the big house. Cops took her off my hands about an hour ago. Poetic justice."

Giles looks concerned and says, "Unless I'm mistaken, Faith is no longer in police custody."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks sounding pissed.

"Watcher's Council. They, uh, sent a retrieval team to capture Faith. It was a special operations unit. They handle the Council's trickier jobs—smuggling, interrogation, wetworks."

"What's wetworks?" Willow asks innocently.

Spike bends his head over the back of the couch and looks at her upside down. "My kind of work, love."

"Oh. Ew."

"So, no more Faith? They're taking her back to England, right?" Buffy asks gleefully.

Giles nods, which sends the girl into a strange laughing fit. They all stare at her until she settles down. Spike watches her for a moment. There is something off about Buffy. Maybe this Faith chick was worse than he thought to get her all upset. While the others blather on, he stares some more. She finally catches him looking, and instead of giving him her usual glare, there is a different look. This one has heat in it like he hasn't seen in a long time. Suddenly, Spike feels naked and has to look away. If fighting this other Slayer has gotten her worked up into one of her dark fits, she won't be taking out her frustrations on him. He refuses to go down that road again.

When he looks over, Xander is watching Buffy too. He must have caught the look because he glances over. Spike can't hold the boy's eyes and looks away. Xander and he are good now. Surprisingly so. He doesn't want the boy, or the others to know about him and Buffy. Spike can't go back to being hated again.

"You alright?" Xander asks and actually sounds like he's interested in the answer.

"Yeah. Just bored."

"Let's get out of here. BBB?"

"Huh?"

"Beers? Billiards? Bronze?"

Spike jumps to his feet. "Right. We're off Watcher."

Giles waves them away and continues discussing something with Willow and Buffy. He can feel the Slayer's eyes on him until they're finally out the door. Spike shakes the feeling off and follows Xander.

"Mention beer and he hops like a bunny," the boy says with a grin.

The Bronze is quiet when they arrive, but it's still early. He quickly swipes the boy's wallet and heads for the bar. He orders four beers and an appetizer medley before heading back to the pool table that Xander has staked out. Spike digs in his coat pocket and pulls out a few more quarters to add to Harris' stack. He wants to keep the pool table for the rest of the night. Spike racks them while Xander flips a coin to see who will break first.

"Tails," Spike says without looking.

"Damn. How do you do that?"

"I'm lucky. Now take a seat and learn something."

His break sinks four balls and he calls solids. Xander is already grumbling. Spike smirks at him as he prepares for his next shot. He doesn't even look at the ball, but at Harris when he lets the cue go. He hears the ball sink and the boy groans at him.

"Show off. Look at the table, not at me."

"What and miss the agony of defeat on your face? No, I don't think so."

"Jerk."

Spike moves around the table sinking a few more shots letting Xander swallow down most of his first beer. When he's finally relaxed, Spike speaks.

"So, you ever going to tell me about you and Faith?"

The bottleneck pauses at Harris' lips. The beer slowly moves down away from his mouth and Xander looks across the table. Spike tries to project earnestness on his face, somehow he doubts if it comes across. It must be something though because Xander sighs and sets the beer on the table.

"If I tell you, will you promise to never bring it up again?"

"That depends on how juicy it is, mate."

"Spike, please." There is a slight tremble in the boy's voice. "I don't want you holding this over my head forever. If you're going to mock me, I'm not going to tell you."

Spike curses himself for a poof and says, "Okay. Tonight's a freebee. Whatever's said over this table is never to be repeated. But don't expect to get off this lightly all the sodding time."

Xander nods and waves him back to the game. Spike sinks another ball before he hears the boy talking behind him.

"Last year. You were gone. Well, except for the drunken episode where you threatened to kill me and Willow and smacked me over the head with a microscope and basically ruined my life because Cordy and Oz caught Willow and I kissing in the factory," he says all in one breath. Then quickly adds, "Not that I'm not holding a grudge or anything...."

"Oh, no. Never that," he says sarcastically. They share a quick grin, before Spike turns back to the table to let the boy talk.

"Faith was this new Slayer. Before Buffy killed the Master, he drowned her. I brought her back. CPR. Anyway, she was gone long enough for another Slayer to get called. So now, two Slayers, because of me. Faith... Faith was different. She was tough, streetwise. You'd like her."

"Hot?"

"Ho-yeah. Scorching. I was just..."

"Randy as a sailor?"

Xander shoots him a dirty look, so he just turns back to the table and finishes off the frame with a chuckle.

"Smitten. I was going to say smitten," Xander continues. "Then there was this crazy night..."

The boy looks lost in thought, so Spike steps over and snatches a beer. He drinks a few swallows before going back to rack the balls up again. When they are set, he walks back over and pokes Xander in the ribs. The boy jumps at bit and Spike smiles.

"Your turn."

Xander goes over to break. Spike quickly takes his stool and soaks up the left over warmth. The break is okay but only one ball goes in a side pocket. Xander walks around the table sizing up the easy shots. Spike watches him and drinks and waits. Finally, after he's made another shot, Harris comes back for his beer. A swallow and he starts talking again.

"Jack O'Toole: bane of my existence, general all around psycho, oh, and he also was a zombie. He did a little voodoo and raised all his buddies for a wild dead ol' time. Of course genius me ends up in the middle of all this. Buffy and the gang were fighting off some kind of lady demons that wanted to open the Hellmouth or something or 'nother. Anyway, in the middle of trying to stop Jack I saved Faith. Ran a car into one of the evil chickies. I took her back to her place and..."

Spike pauses with a cigarette in his lips lighter half way up. "Oh ho! Xander Harris, you stud!"

"Yeah, it's really not as exciting as it sounds. I coulda been a bedpost for all she cared."

"Oooh," he grunts sympathetically and lights up ignoring the no smoking sign on the post right next to their table.

"My first time and I was pretty much a walking dildo. Story of my life," Xander bitches, then seems to realize what he just said and whom he said it to. He shoots a worried look at Spike.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had to die to get my first."

"You mean before Dru..."

"It was Victorian England and I wasn't married. Connect the dots. Of course I've had more than my fair share since, but hey, I'm a right sexy bastard."

Xander rolls his eyes and heads back to the table. He misses his next shot so Spike grabs his cue and comes over. Xander stands to the side and watches him play.

"Stupid me, I thought that meant that there was something between us, you know? I thought we had something. So Faith goes bad. Stakes the Mayor's assistant, only problem was that he wasn't a vamp. She killed the guy. From that moment on, she went off the deep end without any water wings. Because I thought we had something, dummy me, I thought I could talk her down. Hell, I was prepared to testify for her that it was an accident and I wasn't even there. She laughed at me."

Spike looks up from the bank shot he's setting up and sees the misery and self-hatred in the boy's eyes and stands back up. Xander is not looking at him. Instead, he's staring over Spike's leather clad shoulder, miles away.

"She thought I was funny because I actually believed... Next thing I know, she's shoving me on the bed again ripping my shirt off. I told her—I.…” There's too much emotion in his voice and it quickly gets cut off. He finishes tonelessly like a robot. "Her hands were around my neck. I couldn't breathe. I tried to get her off of me, but she was too strong. I knew I was going to die. Everything went dark. I should have died."

He stops and is still staring off into space. Spike didn't realize it was this bad. If he had, he wouldn't have ever pushed the boy to tell him. It brings back too many nights in his crypt with a demanding Slayer of his own. He asks softly, "What happened?"

"Angel. He must have stopped her. Next thing I knew he was slapping me awake and asking me if I was okay. He must have seen." Xander jerks back to the moment. He looks hard at Spike and his eyebrows wrinkle up in confusion at what he sees. Spike looks back at the table. Harris snorts. "Another reason to hate Deadboy, I guess."

"Yeah," Spike says softly and bends down to try and finish the bank shot, but his hands are shaking a bit and the five ball taps the edge of the pocket, but doesn't fall in.

Xander steps up and concentrates on the table. The waitress comes over with their appetizer tray and he orders two more beers. Spike attacks the spicy wings and gives the boy a minute to pull himself together. The food brings him back to their table though. They chow down in silence. The place is starting to fill up so they finish quickly and move back over to the pool table.

Spike doesn't know what to say. He's gotten better at the comforting thing over his years in Sunnydale. First it was soothing his ill Sire, then it was trying to hold back Nibblet's hurts, and finally Buffy, though she never wanted his comfort, never let him try and ease her pain with something other than violence. But Xander is a boy turning into a man. He doesn’t know how to make him feel better, or why he'd even want to, but the urge is still there.

As usual, silence isn't something that Harris is comfortable with. It doesn't take him long before he's cracking a joke at Spike's expense and they slowly salvage the night. They're having a pretty good time playing pool and trading barbs when a blonde head flashes in the lights on the dance floor and makes Spike turn. Buffy is dancing. It's something that will always draw the eye. Xander stops in front of him and turns to see what he's looking at. By that time, Buffy has spotted them and casually makes her way over.

"The Buffster. The Buffinator. What's up?" Xander asks with a smile.

Buffy smiles back and there's something predatory about it. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, even more so when she turns that smile on him.

"Xander. Hanging out with the undead now, are we? How cozy."

"Lay off, Slayer. You know with this chip in my head that the lad is safe."

"Yeah, Buffy. Spike is kind of one of the gang now, no matter how much he bitches."

"Oi!" he warns and turns back to the table hoping she'll just go away.

"Spike?" he hears Buffy ask and he can hear confusion before she settles in again. "Spike. William the Bloody with a chip in his head. I kind of love this town."

"Buffy!"

"What, Xander? Oh... I get it."

Spike bristles at the tone of her voice. He turns and holds back a growl. "Get what, Slayer?"

"Look at him standing up for you. It's sweet."

Xander frowns. "So we're kind of friends now. I know it's strange and freaky, but, you know, Hellmouth."

"Friends?" Buffy says slyly. He and Xander exchange a glance. Buffy huffs a throaty laugh. Spike grips the pool cue so hard he can hear the wood creaking under the strain. Buffy continues, "Yeah, you must be good friends what with all the looking and the touching. And Xandy here playing guard dog for his big blonde puppy."

Xander slowly starts to catch on to the vibe Spike's been getting from the beginning. His warm face clouds over and he's almost nose-to-nose with Buffy before Spike can start something.

"What's your problem, Buffy? I know you and Spike are never going to get along, but you don't have to be like that. Have you been drinking?"

"Back off, Xander!" she barks and shoves him backwards. Xander stumbles back against him and Spike wraps his free arm around the boy's waist to steady him. This makes the hard smile on Buffy's face shine brighter. "Look at you! It's so obvious that you're jonesing for each other."

"I'm not jonesing! There is no jonesing!" Xander snaps and pulls free of Spike's hold.

"Please, you always like the tough ones don't you, Xan? Somebody to tell you what's what, to push you around a bit, make you want it? I should have seen it from the start. Tell me, is Spike a good Daddy?"

"That's enough!" Spike barks loud enough to draw attention to them. "Move on, Slayer. Move on."

Buffy tosses her hair over her shoulder and looks both of them up and down with a sultry gaze. It leaves Spike cold. "You're right," she says. "There's nothing to see here. At least nothing that everyone can't see already."

With that she turns on her heel and is gone. Xander looks worse than if she'd staked him with Mr. Pointy. Spike reaches out to touch his arm, bring him back out of his head, but the boy twists away at the last moment to avoid contact. Spike stares at his arm hanging in the air a moment before letting it drop. He tosses the cue onto the table with a clatter.

"Night's over then, I guess."

Xander doesn't answer. He just heads for the door. Spike follows silently. The trip back is entirely too quiet. He's glad for it at first, after an emotional roller coaster of an evening, but it doesn't take long before he misses the boy's constant babble. Something is definitely wrong if Xander isn't trying to make some kind of crack.

"You shouldn't let it get to you, Harris. She's just mad is all. It must be hard on her to have me around, knowing what I know, making her sacred duty all bleeding wonky."

Silence still from the boy and he starts to get desperate.

"She's probably just upset over this Faith business, and we know it's not true, so who cares?"

Nothing.

"I want you to know that I appreciate you telling her that we were mates and all, but you never heard me say that, right?"

Empty air. They make it all the way back to the basement and inside the door. He's about to tear out his hair because of the quiet.

"Just... bloody say something!" he yells finally.

"Shut up, Spike!"

Spike looks to the ceiling in relief and gives a loud "Thank you!"

"This is what I get? I mean you're an evil, soulless vampire. One of the things we kill. I should have known better! They've both stopped talking to me, then Anya, and now this."

"What are you on about?"

"I should have never started treating you like a person. You're just dragging me down to your level and alienating me from my friends! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn't have gotten shot. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have gotten drunk and lost Anya! Now they think... they think... No wonder they're always too busy for me now."

"Are you cracked? Xander, she's just trying to get a rise out of you. She's trying to make you mad so that'll you do what you're doing now. It's just another way to get rid of me!"

"Is it? Is that it? 'Cause during Willow's spell you sure were handsy... and, and groiny... For all I know you are trying to get into my pants!"

"Oh please!" he sighs turning away, only to have a big hand grip his arm and jerk him back around.

"What is your deal, Spike? Why are you here? And why are you being so nice to me?"

Spike steps up closer to the boy and slaps the hand off of his bicep. "I told you. Things change. There's a lot that happened to me. I'm trying to make it better this time around."

"And better is what? Having the Zeppo wrapped around your finger? Well, forget it Spike because it's never going to happen!"

"Like I'm really interested!"

"Oh you are!" Xander keeps yelling.

"Are not!" Spike yells back.

"Are too!" Xander yells stepping closer.

"Are... bloody hell, I'm not starting this crap with you!" he snaps and leans forward menacingly.

"Just, just shut up, Spike!"

And then the world goes insane because Xander is grabbing his shoulders and pulling him the rest of the way forward, and he's got the boy's waist and yanking the warm stomach against his own. Xander's head tilts right before their faces collide and he's got a warm mouth on his. The kiss is hard and feral and nothing like the sweet kisses of a woman. Not that he's had many sweet kisses in his life being a vampire. But still, it's hot and needy. He slides his hands up the boy's back and one ends up tangled in the dark hair at the nape. Xander's hands are sliding down from his shoulders, fingers slipping along the edge of his pecs and just barely skimming nipples before slowly inching down his ribs to grab his hips tightly. Spike opens his mouth to let the hot exploring tongue against his lips inside. He tilts his head a little to let Xander get even deeper. He never would have guessed that Harris could kiss this well, except he never shuts up so his tongue must get enough of a work out.

Then just as abruptly as the kiss began, their lips separate with a pop and they both pull back. Blue eyes on brown and then it hits them. Spike lurches backward in growing horror. He watches Xander rub his face with both hands before they slide back into the dark hair and fist there tightly. A quick flash enters his mind that he knows exactly what that hair feels like now, and Spike is out the door without a second glance. His feet eat up the pavement in a random direction. He doesn't stop running until he's most of the way across Sunnydale. Spike chugs unneeded breaths and wonders what the fuck just happened.


	12. Superstar

The cemetery is quiet and cool. He walks through the trees feeling the breeze against his face. Spike wishes that he was as peaceful inside as the night is outside. It's been a couple of nights since he ran from Xander's basement and things still refuse to make sense. Maybe he's just insane. It's entirely possible after a century with Dru that some of it could have rubbed off. He hasn't gone back. Afraid of what the boy would do to him, because he's played this game before, and he knows who is going to get blamed and beaten. It was bad enough with Buffy, but Xander? Insanity keeps looking more and more plausible. Spike's staked out his old crypt, but he's done nothing to make it the home it used to be. Part of him doesn't want to go back to being that dead thing in the graveyard that is just good for information. He knows that he could go back to Giles, but again there's the fear. Had Harris talked? Did they all hate him again?

Flashing lights ahead draw him to another part of the cemetery. Someone is taking pictures. He arrives just in time to see a bunch of photographers leaving. Buffy and the gang are coming out of a crypt with that little squirt, one of the geeks.

He silently watches from the shadows until he hears the boy say, "Vampires only form nests to make hunting easier. They're not big on the cooperation. They mostly like to hang out all creepy and alone in the shadows. Don't you agree, Spike?"

For a second he wonders how the little nerd knew he was even there, and before he can think he's stepped out of the shadows and begun to speak.

"Well, well, the man himself," comes out of his mouth and Spike stops up short. "What the hell?"

"What are you doing here?" Jonathan asks without a hint of fear.

Then it hits him. That stupid kid must have done some kind of spell to make himself the big man around town. He vaguely remembers something like it from before, but it's all hazy in his memory.

"I live here. I wasn't exactly pining for a noisy visit from wonder Jonathan and his fluffy battle kittens," Spike spouts and then looks around in confusion as if someone else had been talking. It's not a complete illusion like Willow's 'Will Be Done' spell. It's more like a compulsion to play a certain part. The others don't even seem to be aware that's what is happening. It must be his back in time status that's keeping him from totally buying the newly made world.

"Yeah? You think that one up with all the time you spend not being able to bite people?" Buffy says in an air headed way that makes Spike want to laugh in her face.

Jonathan cuts in with, "Careful, he's still pretty dangerous."

Spike smirks at this, "Yeah, back off 'Betty.'" It's so weird how things are just popping out of his mouth without his control.

"It's Buffy, you big bleached... stupid guy." Which would explain Buffy's pathetic attempts at quips.

Jonathan gets all up in his face. "Spike you're the worst type of scum. The second you're back to your old tricks... Well, let's just say before you even sniff out your first victim you'll be pretty indistinguishable from, oh what should we say? Instant soup mix?"

He can feel awe and fear welling up for the little twerp and he has to fight them down. It's just too loony. Jonathan starts to walk away and he holds a hand out to stop him. There is the slightest hint of surprise from the boy. As if he is shocked Spike would even attempt to touch him before Spike ends up ass over teakettle in the grass at the Scoobies' feet.

"How? What? How?" Spike splutters as Jonathan readjusts his coat. Spike just can't believe that the little nerd got the jump on him. He moves better than Buffy.

"You should know better than to tangle with Jonathan, Spike," Xander says with a snicker.

Spike looks up at the one person he'd been avoiding for the past few days and sees nothing to suggest that they had kissed at all. Did the spell make him forget? Before Spike can get to his feet the group of them move off leaving him in the dirt. It's only Xander's quick, unsure glance back at him that gives Spike any hope at all.

"That little..." Spike mutters and jumps to his feet. "Make me the spooky random villain in his little play will he? We'll just see..." Spike pauses. "Bloody hell, he's got me doing bad villain dialogue to myself!"

Spike spends the next day in his crypt trying to come up with a plan. He's probably persona non grata with the Scoobies now that they're Jonathan's little puppets, so he decides to keep an eye on the 'man himself.' It doesn't take much to figure out where Jonathan lives. The estate practically screams 'wanker' to him. As soon as the sun is down, Spike picks a spot along the wall to sit and smoke and watch. He waits quite some time before a scream cuts through the peaceful night. With a back flip, he's off the wall and running.

A pretty young thing with lovely caramel skin is running away from a demon the likes of which Spike has never seen. The girl stumbles hard and does a face plant into the turf. Before she can recover, the demon is on her with an animalistic gibber. Spike kicks the thing viciously in the kidney, if it even has kidneys, and gets it away from the still screaming girl. The creature's long arm swings around quicker than he expects and Spike takes the blow hard against his temple. He crumples to the ground. It's a good time for the thing to go in for the kill, but the girl fleeing once again distracts it. The monster rushes after her leaving Spike to try and make the ground stop spinning. By the time he gets to his feet, and shakes it off, the pair is gone.

"Damnit," he curses and lopes off to get help. The thing is stronger than it looks. To his chagrin, he knows that he needs Buffy's help.

His first urge is to head to the Watcher's place, but instinct makes him swing by the Bronze just in case. He staggers into the club and freezes. Jonathan is doing a pretty good Dean Martin up on stage. He's got a wonderful voice. That thought makes Spike jerk. "Sodding spell," he mumbles and looks around for Buffy. The Slayer and Sergeant Doofus are on the dance floor passing loving gazes back and forth at each other. It's disgusting. He wonders what he ever saw in her. Of course, a little voice in the back of his mind quickly pipes up that he'd trade places with Finn in a heartbeat if he could. Spike grits his teeth and looks away angrily. He should be done with all those feelings, especially considering... Xander catches his eye. The young man is sitting alone at a table covered in purses. It must be horrible to be the token guy purse protector.

He makes his way over and sits down. He snatches up what's probably Finn's beer and tosses it back. Xander pays him no mind. He's too busy staring up at the stage practically drooling. The jealousy is so intense that when it burns through him, Spike gasps. Why the hell should he be jealous? Jonathan's a little prick that dreams about being as cool as Spike. There should be no reason to wish he was the itty bitty loser... except then Xander would be looking at him like that, wouldn't he? Spike bites his lip.

Jonathan finishes off the song and suddenly breaks out into a trumpet solo. It's something jazzy that has everyone tapping their toes. Spike shoots a dirty look down at his Docs and wills them to stop. Xander still hasn't acknowledged him and it's starting to piss him off royally.

"Oi! Am I going to sit here all night or are you going to ask me what happened?"

Xander doesn't look away from the stage when he asks, "What happened?"

Before he can stop himself, Spike reaches out and grabs the boy's chin and makes him look. He watches the emotions play across Xander's face. The annoyance, anger, and surprise are expected, but something else flits through Harris' eyes so quickly that Spike isn't sure if he saw it at all. Whatever it is sends sparks down his spine and he suddenly feels warm, which shouldn't happen at all really.

"What the hell happened to you?" Xander asks pulling out of Spike's grip and glancing at his temple.

Spike reaches up to where the beast hit him and finds the skin tender and bleeding just a bit. "New monster. Went after a girl. Got away before I could..."

He's interrupted by the music suddenly stopping. They both turn to the stage where Jonathan is hopping down into the crowd and pulling a girl with pretty caramel skin into his arms.

"That's the girl!" Spike says and jumps over toward the commotion and pushes his way through.

The Slayer and Finn are already close by, as are the witches. Jonathan looks up at his arrival and shoots him a dangerous look. Spike ignores him. He starts to check over the girl but she's jerked away by the nerd.

"Back off, Spike!"

At Jonathan's words, Buffy and her beau quickly make a shield in front of the girl. Spike rolls his eyes.

"I was just going to see if she's alright. That thing knocked me for a loop, who knows what it could have done to a tender little thing like her."

"What?" Willow asks.

"Some kind of demon. Never seen one like it before. It jumped her outside of Jonathan's place."

"And what were you doing there, I wonder?" the nerd asks still comforting the girl.

"I was passing by when I heard her screaming."

"I don't suppose you had anything to do with this monster."

"Lay off, Levinson. I was trying to help her when the thing walloped me," he says pointing to his temple.

Jonathan looks like he's about to contest this when the girl speaks up with a shaky voice. "It's true. He got it away from me and I ran."

"Let's go back to my place. Maybe we can figure out what did this."

The group follows Jonathan out to his limo. Tara and Willow break away and decide to go tell Giles what's happened. Jonathan nods. When Spike tries to climb into the car after everyone else the little twerp has the nerve to block his path.

"Where do you think you're going, vampire?"

"Do you want to know what I know, or what? I can show you where I saw it, where it was headed, and probably give you a better description than she can. She's too shaken up."

The boy looks displeased, but steps out of the way. Spike bends down to get in when a hand lands on his shoulder and it's too strong for him to shake off.

"Don't try to be too smart, Spike. You'll regret it."

Spike gets inside, but wonders if it was a regular threat or if Jonathan has guessed that he's not 100% in La La Land with the others. The trip to the mansion is silent. Everyone is squeezed into one end of the limo away from Spike. He almost feels scary, except for the looks everyone keeps giving Jonathan. Like they know that the little geek will save them if he tries anything. It's more disgusting than watching Buffy and Finn doing their best googly eyes. Well, maybe not that disgusting.

When they arrive at the mansion, Spike takes the rear again. There are some cops around waiting. Everyone troops inside through the large, open double doors except Spike who slams into the barrier.

"Hey!"

He's ignored except for a smirking look from over Jonathan's shoulder. He can see what's going on inside, but they're far enough back that even his hearing can only pick up an occasional word or two. He paces outside the barrier and waits. A glance inside and he catches Xander looking at him, but the boy quickly looks away.

There's some more discussion before they all troop back outside. Apparently, no one is going to do squat which pisses him off. He storms down the driveway toward the gate when Buffy's voice stops him up short.

"Spike, wait!"

He turns to look at her. She's suddenly apprehensive around him, which is just wrong on so many levels. The Slayer should never be scared of him. It's part of the reason he fell for her. If nothing else, it's this that makes him want to smash Jonathan's brains in. Deflating her to make himself more special is worse than anything Spike can think of.

"What?" he asks softly, reacting to her trepidation.

"What did you think of that thing? Is it dangerous?"

"I think the girl was lucky to get away. I think someone else tonight might not be so lucky."

She bites her lip a bit and leaves. Finn and Xander trail after her. This time Harris studiously avoids his eyes. Spike slips off into the night hoping to come across the beast. He knows he needs to relieve some tension.

The next night he finds Buffy wandering around town. She's staring off into space like she's trying to figure something out. He slips up behind her and taps her gently on the back of the head. She whirls around in surprise, instead of whirling around and kicking his ass like she should.

"A Slayer shouldn't let her guard down like that."

"What are you doing here?"

There's none of the usual accusation in her voice and Spike tries to keep his anger in check. Once he would have longed for a softer gentler Buffy, but now he sees how much he would have hated it. How he would have used it against her. The darkness in him preys on weakness. Why else would he have loved her, if not for her strength?

"Patrolling a bit. You know the usual."

"Why do you do that?"

He walks along beside her. "Fighting demons is all I've got, luv. You know that."

"No, I mean. Why are you being so nice? Jonathan says..."

"I don't really care what Jonathan says." She looks away from him at that and suddenly he wants to know what she was thinking before he startled her. "And I think maybe you're starting not to care either, aren't you?"

"No! That's not... Spike? There's something about that monster. I'm just not sure."

Inwardly he smiles, but outwardly he shows nothing. "You'll figure it out. Go with your gut. That's what Slayers do."

He's a few steps away when he hears her say, "Spike, when you were all futurey or whatever. Were we... friends?"

He turns but keeps walking backwards when he answers, "Something like that. Watch your back."

She nods and looks much less lost than when he first saw her. Spike waits until he has turned away from her before he smiles. And it's better than magic because now he knows--he knows--that he can let her go. He's not the demon he was before the chip. He's not the demon he was before he fell for her. He's not the demon that fought for a wish. He's something else once again. Maybe that sodding wish demon was smarter than he thought.

There's a small bike shop on the corner and as he passes the window a dark head catches his eye. Xander is bent over a BMX pointing out the shocks to a father and son. The three are laughing at something Harris has said. Spike stands outside the big window entranced. He watches Xander ring up the bike for the man. He hadn't even known that Harris had gotten another job, but at least it's better than the Hot Dog Hut. As the new bike owners turn away, the father strokes the son's head lovingly. The expression on Xander's face changes to something that makes Spike's chest hurt. He pulls away from the window before the boy can see him and heads toward his crypt. He strokes his chest as if he had been injured and worries all the way home.


	13. Where the Wild Things Are

The blow knocks him back out of the alley, and Spike rolls with it coming to his feet prepared for another attack. A yelp to his left lets him know that he about knocked a woman down, but he ignores her. The vamp rushes him. He was surprised to find this one hanging about in the shadows near the Bronze. Usually, Sunnydale is full of only fledges and minions. The usual quick stake fests, but this vamp must have a few years on him, and knows some moves. Of course, he's really no match, but he's enough of a challenge that Spike is drawing the fight out for the fun of it. The game changes though when the vampire sees the woman and goes after her. Spike slams his foot into the ugly's stomach before he can reach her and quickly stakes him before he gets anymore bright ideas.

"Congratulations, pet. You've been rescued by—Oh, it's you."

"I wouldn't have needed to be rescued if you hadn't dragged your fight right into me, Spike," Anya says with a frown.

"Sorry," Spike says insincerely with a shrug. "How have you been?"

"Like you care."

"Don't be that way. Us demons, or former in your case, gotta stick together. Tough times and all that."

Demon girl doesn't reply she just keeps walking towards the Bronze. Spike follows her because he'd been headed in that direction anyway. She seems annoyed at his persistence, but doesn't tell him to go away. They make it inside and Spike buys the poor thing a beer. She's obviously surprised by this, but takes the drink gladly.

"So what's new with you?" he asks.

"Did Xander send you here?"

"No. The boy and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now..."

"Why?"

Spike knows better than to tell a former vengeance demon that he'd been kissing her former boyfriend, so he just shakes his head.

"Oh. I just assumed that you'd do something with your chance."

"Chance at what?"

Anya looks at him as if he's stupid. It's a look that she's given him off and on since he first met her. She's sitting on the opposite end of the couch from him, and with his arm across the back he's almost touching her bare shoulder. She's wearing something flimsy, revealing a lot of skin. He remembers exactly what that skin felt like. In a flash, he's back in the Magic Box with her writhing on top of him. Then she answers his question.

"Your chance at Xander, of course."

His mind is still on that night of drunken solace and so it takes a moment for it to register exactly what she has said. He blinks.

"My... What?"

Anya rolls her eyes. "Oh, don't be all coy. It doesn't suit you. You and Xander having male orgasms together."

"I... That's..." Spike isn't sure what to say. His first instinct is to deny, deny, deny, but the way she's looking at him... It's the Anya 'You know I'm telling the truth' face that breaks him. "Nothing's happening. We kissed. That's why we're not on speaking terms."

"You probably did it all wrong."

"Hey, I know how to kiss, all right! I've had no complaints!"

"No that, you nitwit. I mean you probably went about it all wrong. The last thing Xander needs is time to think. He can talk himself out of anything. How do you think I got him in the first place? I dropped my dress and said 'have at it.'"

"How did you know?"

"The day we broke up it was your hand he was holding, remember? Plus, you're a vampire and will obviously stick it in anything."

"Hey!"

She ignores his outburst and continues, "The way he was pandering to you. I should have seen it coming. I had my suspicions about him all along. All his friends are girls, he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he has dominance issues. If it wasn't for his complete lack of dress sense..."

"Then why'd you drop your drawers in the first place?" Spike asks.

Anya shrugs. "Who else was there? Orgasms are orgasms."

"Oh come on, luv. Don't kid a kidder. He hurt you. If it was just orgasms, it wouldn't have bothered you at all."

Anya shoots him a dirty look, but doesn't deny it. They sit and drink quietly both lost in their own thoughts. When she's finished her drink he takes it from her and hands it over to a passing waitress.

"So what are you going to do now?" he asks.

"I'm done with Xander. You can have him. I think it's time I explored my options. I mean, I've been here in Sunnydale for a while now, and I haven't even tried to find someone else. I'm young, attractive, and available. There's this party I was thinking about going to. A guy gave me a flyer on the street yesterday. He seemed really interested in me attending."

"That's a good plan. Find you someone that makes you happy. More power to you!" Spike says toasting her with his beer.

"The only problem is that Buffy might be there since it's at Riley's stupid Army Frat House thing."

"Lowell House?"

"That's the one. I don't think I should be around those Initiative goons."

"That's tonight? Bollocks!" Spike jumps up, grabs her arm, and heads for the door.

"What?"

They dash out of the Bronze and head towards UC Sunnydale. All the while he tries to explain what happened before, but she doesn't seem interested. When they reach Frat Row the party is already going at a fair clip. They are invited in and no sooner are they through the door but they spot Xander chatting up a pretty brunette. Harris looks shocked to see the two of them.

"Anya? What are you doing here...with Spike!"

"Settle down, Xander," Spike says trying to calm the boy. "There's going to be some trouble here tonight. Anya just reminded me about it. Where's Buffy?"

"Why so you can mack on her too? Complete the whole set?"

"That's not going to happen. It's Scooby business. Give it a rest!"

Xander just gets more agitated. "I should have known. That's what this was all about! You were after Anya!"

"I'm not after Anya! Damnit! We don't have time for this!"

"We're going to make time, Fangless!"

Anya stands between them watching the argument like a tennis match. Spike gets right up in the boy's face. He didn't want this to happen, especially not here, but he's too mixed up inside to stop it.

"The only one I see making time around here is you!"

"What?"

"Oh don't start that shite! I saw that little piece you were drooling over!"

"I was not drooling! I do not drool!"

"Spoken like someone who hasn't had to watch you sleep," Spike says with a snort.

"He's right you know," Anya agrees.

"Can we forget about the drooling? For a second, please?" Xander whines. "I want to know what the hell you're doing here!"

"I told you. There's going to be trouble."

"The only trouble I see, Spike, is you!"

Anya snorts, "Why didn't I realize it before? We never had this much passion in our relationship. Well, out of bed anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Xander asks her. He looks back and forth between them and Spike keeps his eyes firmly on his boots and the people milling around them. "Oh my god, you told her?"

Spike flinches. "It's not like that."

"Xander, it's okay if you want to have orgasms with boys or vampires or boy vampires. I just wish you'd told me earlier. At least now I know why we really broke up. Maybe we could even be friends," Anya says cheerfully.

Xander looks like someone smacked him with a mackerel. Spike holds back another flinch because he really doesn't want to bring the boy's attention back to him. It doesn't do him much good.

"I'm going to kill you. You are going to die," Xander growls and then adds, "again."

"Xander, I know you're upset, but can we do this later? The house is bloody haunted. People are going to get hurt. We need to get Buffy. Where is she?"

Spike is sure that Xander is going to start in on yelling at him again when Willow runs up looking frightened. He could just kiss her for the distraction, but he knows that Harris would take it the wrong way.

"Xander. Ghost boy. Drowning in a tub. I... I tried to save him, but being a ghost already... Well, I was way too late."

"A ghost? What's the deal? Is every frat on this campus haunted? And if so, why do people keep coming to these parties? 'Cause it's not the snacks."

Spike looks over at Anya. "Why do they never believe me?"

"It's because you're a demon. Prejudice pure and simple."

The other two ignore them as Tara joins the group. Spike smiles at the shy witch. It's the first time he's seen her since he did his H.G. Wells bit. She looks pale as if she's been ill. Willow takes her hand worriedly.

"Tara, how are you?" Red asks.

"I'm okay, but I don't like it here. This house... I think we should go."

Willow looks at them seriously and says, "We need Buffy."

"Been yelling that for a half an hour, Red," Spike says pointedly looking at Xander.

They all tromp upstairs after Willow who seems to know where she's going. They reach a door on the second floor and the witch pounds on it.

"Buffy? Riley?" she yells loudly but receives no response.

Xander starts banging on the door and yelling as well. Suddenly, vines shoot out from under the door like snakes making the two of them jump back. Spike watches in amazement as the door grows over with fat, thorny creepers. Anya and Tara walk over to the balcony to look down as Willow examines the strange growth.

Unexpectedly, the house begins to shake with a jerk. Spike's lived through a few small earthquakes, but nothing like the supernatural shiver the house gives. Everyone staggers about in shock and Spike doesn't even see the door behind him and Xander fly open until an invisible shove send the two of them toppling inside. The door slams closed leaving them surrounded by darkness. He jumps to his feet and vamps out, but it doesn't help him see any better in the dark room so he shakes it off. It's no ordinary shadow, but something much more unearthly. Spike makes his way to the door by feel. It refuses to budge even with his added strength.

"Xander, give us a hand, yeah? Door won't move."

The boy doesn't answer, but he hears him move closer. Spike expects him to help pull, but instead he's pushed forward and ground into the door. It's a rotten time for Harris to attack considering their surroundings. He pushes back to try and get away, and only then realizes that Xander has something else in mind. Large hands slide around his waist and pull him tight against a hard body. He can feel Xander's nose caress the back of his ear as the boy sniffs his scent.

"You smell good, like leather and menthol, earth and spice."

"Oh god."

"I don't think he's listening," Xander rumbles and Spike had no idea his voice could get that low.

He's spun around and the moment his eyes look into the dark brown ones peering back at him, he's gone. Spike darts his head forward and takes those lips once again. Unlike the harsh kiss from before, this one is slow and sultry. Xander opens up willingly to him and their tongues dance. Spike rocks against the warm human and revels in the heat. They're both already hard and they haven't even broken from the first kiss. Xander's hands yank off his duster sending it pooling to the floor. Spike scrambles with Xander's shirt trying to get to skin. They both pull back giving each other heated glances as they quickly get their shirts off. Bare to the waist, they crash back together, kissing and licking like animals.

"Saw you with that girl. You should know better. Mine now," Spike hisses into the collarbone his licking.

Xander pulls Spike's head tighter to his broad chest and chuckles. "You should know better than to run off with vengeance demons. Need you."

Spike moves back up for another kiss and grinds his hips against Xander's. He's rewarded with a gasp and more grinding. A sharp snap of the boy's hips and Spike stumbles backward over his coat before running into the door. Before he can recover, Xander is on him. The pair surge and fight almost as much as they lick and caress. Spike's jeans are achingly tight. A warm hand fumbles with them until he's loose. He sighs in relief, which causes Xander to give another dark chuckle. He's about to return the favor but is distracted by a rough palm wrapping around his length. It feels so good because Xander immediately holds him with a tight grip and jacks him hard the way he likes it.

"Oh you beautiful boy! You gorgeous bastard!" Spike grunts letting his head fall back against the door with a thunk.

Xander smiles against his neck and keeps pumping. The other callused hand disappears from his shoulder and Spike almost complains until he hears a zipper and another relieved sigh. Needing no further instruction, Spike attacks the boy's cock with his own snug grip. It's not long before they're both groaning happily.

"No," Xander pants after a moment. "I need more... Spike..."

With a dark smile, Spike pushes him back. He puts his hands on the boy's shoulders and wrangles him to the floor before jumping on him with an embarrassing little whoop. It's not too bad because it makes Xander laugh again. Spike is becoming addicted to those sexy chuckles. He jerks the boy's dark pants and boxers down, and then wriggles his own jeans off his hips. Xander grabs for his biceps and pulls him down the rest of the way until he's covering the dark beauty like a blanket. A quick shimmy and he aligns their weeping cocks. Xander throws his head back and groans. Spike hisses in return and they start moving together like old pros.

"Yes, yes, yes," Xander whispers.

It makes the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. The boy's sweat eases their coupling and Spike slides against him. The pace gets faster and faster as they draw nearer to release. He plants his hands on either side of Xander's shoulders and pushes himself up. The added pressure is perfect as he bucks along with the willing man beneath him.

"God, Spike!" Xander groans and his thrusts become erratic as he falls over the edge.

Spike feels the cock under him twitch once, twice, and warm wetness covers them both. He grits his teeth and thrusts madly against the loose-limbed boy until he too reaches completion with a strangled sigh. Spike's arms give out and he flops onto Xander like a rag doll. They lay quietly gasping for breath. Xander, as usual, is the one to break the silence.

"What the hell was that?"

"Damn good, that's what that was." Spike pauses. "Wanna go again?"

"Fuck yeah..." Xander gasps and pulls on Spike's hair until they're kissing once again.

The kisses are more languid but no less hot. Spike lets Xander plunder his mouth. There's an annoying noise in the distance, but goes unnoticed. Spike sucks on Xander's earlobe as the noise gets louder and louder. With a crash, the door flies open flooding the room with light. Spike's arm immediately comes up to shield his eyes as he looks back at the intruder.

Giles stands in the doorway gaping at them and holding a fire axe. He looks as if someone had used it on him before bothering with the door. Spike's about to tell the Watcher where he can go, when he's shoved off his warm mattress.

"No. Please no," Xander whimpers as he jerks his pants up from where they lay tangled around his ankles.

"I... um..." Giles stutters before Willow's voice makes him turn. The Watcher goes to block her from seeing in the doorway leaving Spike and Xander alone.

Spike pulls up his jeans and watches the boy frantically try to get his shirt back on. Something cold creeps in his belly when he realizes what's happened. It was the house. Xander obviously never wanted him.

"Xander..."

"Don't. Just don't," the boy snaps and surges to his feet.

Before he can speak again, Xander has bolted out the door. Slowly, he pulls on his shirt and retrieves his duster before wandering out into the hall. The gang is all downstairs. Buffy and Riley are there looking flushed and somewhat embarrassed. Willow stands by the door looking out into the night, probably after the escaping Xander.

"Spike, are you... all right?" Giles asks with actual concern.

He gives his countryman a sad little smile. "I'll live... or not as the case may be."

"Perhaps you'd better stay with me tonight. There's something I want to discuss with you anyway."

Spike doesn't bother to tell him that he hasn't been staying with Xander for almost a week. He just nods and follows Giles when the group breaks up. If he's more quiet than usual on the walk home, the Watcher doesn't mention it.


	14. New Moon Rising

Two days after what Spike is starting to think of as “the incident,” the gang shows up at Giles’ house for a Scooby meeting. Spike’s asleep when he’s woken up by a loud voice.

“What are you doing here?” Buffy says, leaning over the back of the couch.

Spike sits up to glare at her, but he doesn’t reply. He can see Willow and Riley in the background talking to Giles, but it’s a honey colored head that makes him rise to his feet. He walks toward the shy girl to Willow’s right and takes her hand. It’s the first time he’s had a chance to talk to Tara since he first saw her at Lowell House.

“Glinda! Good to see you!” Spike says. She ducks her head in response, obviously surprised and embarrassed.

Willow frowns and says, “Her name is Tara.”

“I know what her name is, Red.”

Tara stutters out a hello and Spike sees her shoot him a curious look through the fall of hair over her face. He gives her a genuine smile in response. Buffy gives him a cross look and starts heading toward them, probably to defend Willow’s girl from the nasty vampire. Spike moves away and heads for the kitchen for some blood. He knows it’s best to stay out of their way. Plus, the boy will arrive soon enough. He’d rather be out of sight, out of mind for that confrontation. Sure enough before the microwave dings, Xander shows up. He sticks to Willow like glue, and refuses to look towards the kitchen at all. Giles keeps giving the two of them looks, but doesn’t bring anything up, thankfully. Buffy complains about the lack of slaying, which gets the meeting started.

“Yes, I expected this,” Giles says. “From what Spike has told us, Adam is recruiting demons. Those that aren’t recruited are being scared off.”

“Adam’s the bad guy,” Willow explains to Tara.

“The ones working for him are letting themselves get snatched by the soldier boys,” Spike supplies.

“That’d kind of defeat the point, wouldn’t it?” Riley asks snidely.

“Riley feels threatened,” Willow whispers loud enough for them all to hear.

Spike ignores the side commentary and confronts Riley. “That is his plan. He wants a demon and human war with a lot of casualties. It provides him with more parts for his monster mash.”

“That’s a metaphor,” Willow says.

Tara smiles and replies, “I got it, thanks.”

“I’m over helping, aren’t I?”

Tara laughs while Riley continues to argue about the Initiative’s intentions. Spike refuses to get into it with him. The boy’s been through drug withdrawal and attempted murder of his friends, and he still sings their praises. Spike just can’t understand it. From the look on Buffy’s face, she’s having a hard time understanding too. Giles is less reserved in his criticism. It’s only a knock at the opening door that stops their argument. Spike can’t see what’s silenced everyone from his position in the kitchen, so he moves around to the living room.

“Hey,” Oz says, staring at Willow from the doorway.

“Oz,” Willow replies as if none of them knew his name.

Spike looks over to see Tara’s face change subtly as she repeats, “Oz.”

There is a strong urge to smack Willow, but Spike understands what it’s like to get thrown by an ex’s sudden appearance. Instead, he remembers what happens to the mutt during his return to Sunnydale.

“When…when did you get back?” Willow asks.

The question stirs everyone into movement. Xander goes to greet Oz while the others move towards him as he fully enters the room. Spike holds back to give them their moment.

After Oz turns down Giles’ offer of tea and makes his date with Willow, Spike moves past them to stop the boy at the door.

“Wolfboy, wait up. Listen, I know you have no right to trust me, but I have to warn you. There’s a government group in town that’s collecting demons. They’re going to catch you and then experiment on you. Giles can back me up if you don’t believe me.”

“The Initiative gets Oz!” Xander yelps.

“Yeah, and it’s bad. I had to help bust him out.”

Oz is looking at him with skeptical eyes. He looks past Spike’s shoulder, probably to get confirmation from the Watcher.

“I’ll be careful.”

“You’d better be more than that. Trust me, mate, it’s not somewhere you want to end up.”

“The Initiative wouldn’t do that,” Riley argues.

Spike shoots him a withering look over is shoulder. When he looks back, Oz merely nods and leaves. Tara makes a poor excuse and escapes while everyone is focused on Spike’s news. He feels like stepping out after her and offering his support, but she doesn’t know him, and he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t feel welcome. Spike merely watches her helplessly as she disappears out of the courtyard. He closes the door only to hear Riley arguing with Buffy about the Initiative again. The Slayer convinces him that Oz is a werewolf, but a responsible one. The meeting is pretty much over after the bombshell of Oz’s reappearance and possible danger. The others head home, Xander clinging to Red again. Whether to offer support or get it, Spike isn’t sure. He doesn’t bother looking at the boy as he takes his place back on the couch now that the noise is gone.

Spike doesn’t get too much time before Giles sets a rattling tray by his ear. He shoots the Watcher a dirty look, but the man is pouring him a cuppa, so he lets it slide.

“Are you really sure Oz is in danger?” Giles asked pouring some tea for himself.

Spike sits back up and takes his cup before replying, “I helped you lot bust him out. Of course, I was working for Adam at the time and it was mostly to gain your trust.”

“Yes, about that—“

“Save it, Watcher. I won’t apologize for being evil. It’s what I am. Not that it’s done me a bit of good since I met—“

Giles interrupts him, “Spike, do shut up. I think you’ve more than proved your intentions. Now while I’ll never trust you completely, I believe you are trying to help us, for your own ends, of course. Riley made a point a few days ago about how he can work the Initiative from the inside, and that got me thinking. We know that Adam is going to approach you.”

“You want me to be a double agent, with you playing M?” Spike asks, seeing the other man’s train of thought.

“Yes, you’ve provided us with good information, but how closely will Adam follow the plan you know of if you aren’t involved?”

“So I have to make my own self-fulfilling prophecy, is what you’re saying?”

“Indeed. I know tensions between you and Xander are strained right now, and rightly so.”

Spike sighs. He knew this was coming, but Giles only shakes his head.

“I’m not going to discuss it,” Giles says. “We both know there were strong magics involved. Xander is embarrassed, but these things happen.”

“You should know, eh?” Spike replies with a smirk. Giles gives him a dark look and continues.

“I think you should do what you did before. Let Adam come to you. We’ll get information and start turning events to our own ends. Plus, it will give the others a chance to cool off and accept your help.”

“Right send me to the guy they think I’m working for in the first place, bloody brilliant that is,” Spike says snidely.

“When they see that you’re willing to risk your life—and I have no doubt this will be quite dangerous for you—they’ll be more likely to trust you, Spike.”

Spike thinks about it a moment. Maybe some space is what he needs. It’ll give him a chance to get his head right about this boy nonsense. He says, “Right. I had this spot I was staying at before. I’ll get set up tonight. If I’ve got my timing right, Adam will show up in the afternoon.”

“I’ll give you some money. It might be a good idea to show yourself around Willie’s tonight. Make some contacts that might be sympathetic to Adam’s cause.”

“Not about to turn down some dosh, but I think I know my business, Giles.”

“Quite right,” Giles replies and goes to get the money.

Spike spends a few hours making some noise with some of the local boys, before returning to his old crypt. It’s more than depressing sitting on the slab. It’s probably why he didn’t bother to move in before. The last thing he wants is to have to redo all the work he did to get the place set up like he had it before. Granted it wasn’t too bad for a vampire bachelor pad, but he feels older than even his many years. Was this why Angel was such a wanker? Spike shakes his head at the thought. That poof was always a wanker even back when he was evil. Spike lies back on the concrete and almost wishes for the orange barcalounger of doom.

Adam wakes him sometime after noon from what he can see from the shape of the light outside the tiny mausoleum windows. He’s bigger than Spike remembers. Spike keeps his spot on top of the tomb, letting it lend him a little bit of height.

“You’re the one known as Spike. I want you to come with me.”

“And why would I do that then?”

“You’re going to help me with my problem.”

Spike snorts and lights a cigarette. Adam just looks at him impassively.

“Still not seeing why I should listen to you,” Spike says when Adam fails to elaborate.

“I’m going to help you with your problem.”

“Are you now.”

“That chip in your head. I can help you get it out.”

Spike tries not to let his sarcasm show when he replies, “Well you have my vote. What do you want in return?”

Adam squints. “I need you to help me get to the Slayer.”

Spike pauses as if to consider it before he says, “I’ve heard about you. Been causing a bit of a ruckus about. Not sure if I want my insides on the outsides today, ta very much.”

“You’re smarter than I was led to believe.”

Spike sits up straight at that. Adam holds up his hand to stop any tirades. Spike settles down as the monster continues.

“I have a plan. The humans from the Initiative are inferior. I want to help them. I want to make them like me. In order to do so, things must get…messy.”

“I like messy. I’m good at messy, or at least I used to be.”

Adam nods and continues, “Yes, and when we are through, you will be good at it again. You have knowledge of the Slayer. Her part in this plan is crucial. She will be my instrument.”

“Anything to get rid of that bitch. I’m in, say no more. Hell, you get this chip out of me, and I’ll bring you her head on a pike.”

“Good. Much needs to be done. But first, you will have to gain their trust.”

“Because _that’s_ easy.”

“Tonight, it will be.”

After Adam lays out his plan, Spike waits impatiently for the sun to set. He walks in to Giles’ to see the group already there. Buffy is on the phone looking frantic. The others look worried.

“They have him, don’t they?” Spike asks. The looks he gets in response are enough of an answer.

“Riley is still not answering his pages. I left him another message.”

“He’s already tried to get Oz out. They’ve got him locked up.”

“What?” Buffy yells. “You didn’t mention that before.”

“That’s because I thought the wolf would have enough sense not to get caught after I warned him!”

“What are they doing to him?” Willow asks quietly from the couch.

Spike steps over and lays a hand on her shoulder. He doesn’t even glance at Xander sitting next to her.

“Nothing good,” Spike finally replies.

“We have to do something!” Buffy says. “What did we do last time?”

“We’ll go in the back way. Adam’s got things set up for us.”

Buffy explodes again, “What?”

“You’re working for Adam? After all we’ve done—Nah, I can’t even act surprised,” Xander says harshly.

Spike flinches and turns his back on them. The last thing he needs is for them to see how much their accusations hurt. He closes his eyes and wonders when he started needing them. After everything with Xander, it’s time to pull himself back together, and be the big bad. It’s always easier to play the bastard.

Giles comes to his rescue by saying, “I asked him to go to Adam. He’s working for us in Adam’s camp. We’re using Spike’s knowledge to guide the thing right where we want him.”

“Yeah, because if we can trust anyone, we can trust Spike,” Buffy says sarcastically.

“Considering his mind hasn’t been clouded by a two bit tin soldier whose job is likely going to get us all killed or thrown into jail, yes.”

Spike turns to Giles in surprise. The others look as equally shocked, and Buffy’s face is filled with hurt. Giles softens after his outburst.

“Buffy, you have to understand, we’re not just dealing with Adam. We’re going up against the United States Government. I’m amazed that we haven’t been detained or arrested. We could have just as easily vanished one evening never to be seen again. The Initiative is nothing like anything we’ve fought before. We’re all playing a very dangerous game, and so far the only ones that have been taking it seriously are Spike and myself. I mean, my God, you’ve almost been killed and Xander has been shot. Oz is now likely being experimented on. We have to face facts. Spike is the only way we’re going to get information on Adam. He’s risking his life to help us.”

“Never thought I’d see the day when you defend me, Giles,” Spike says softly.

“Yes, it’s not one of my better moments.”

“I can’t believe you’re supporting Spike,” Buffy says. “You never supported Angel.”

Giles takes off his glasses and looks at her before saying, “Yes, well you aren’t dating Spike.”

Buffy and Spike both cringe. Spike is sure it’s not for the same reason.

“Why are you doing this?” Xander asks, not looking at Spike.

“Because Adam is a robo-wanker that needs taking down, and I don’t have anything else,” Spike replies honestly.

“We need to save Oz!” Willow pleads.

Spike nods and starts gathering up some weapons. “We will, Red. We’ll go in the back and grab the head guy. Hell, I’m in a generous mood. We’ll even bust out Captain Cardboard too.”

He leads the group of them minus Giles and Tara who elect to stay behind, supposedly to be working on the computer to hack the Initiative’s systems. Before Spike and the others used the pretense of lab coats and uniforms, but there’s no point in pretending now. In the woods, they find the back entrance. The doors are unlocked.

“They just leave their stuff unlocked?” Xander asks skeptically.

“No, Adam’s doing his computer mojo to help us get in. This is all so that you guys will trust me, remember?”

The boy mumbles as he passes Spike and steps inside, “Good luck with that.”

They’re not inside long before the power goes out. In the blue emergency lights Spike gives them an ‘I told you so’ eyebrow raise. He lets Buffy take the lead when they jump the Colonel in his room.

“You know who I am?” she says pointing a crossbow at him threateningly. When the Colonel nods she finishes, “Then you know I'm pretty good with this thing. You’re going to take us to Riley and to our friend Oz.”

“You came here for the wolf?” the man asks surprised.

“We’re all about the two for one,” Xander quips.

Buffy practically growls, “Get dressed.”

They go after Riley first because the brig is closer. There’s one guard outside. They use Willow as a distraction. She rushes past him but before the man even realizes there’s someone else in the hall, Buffy attacks. He’s out cold before Spike and Xander can turn the corner brining the Colonel up the corridor. Buffy uses the guard’s keycard to open the door. Riley seems surprised to see them.

“How’d you get in?” he asks.

“Talk later. Stealthy escape now,” Buffy tells him.

“If I leave now, I can never come back.”

The four of them look at Riley like he’s dense. He blinks for a moment before saying, “I just wanted to hear that out loud.”

The Colonel starts in on soldier boy the moment they head for the containment area. Riley mostly ignores him. Finally, Spike has had too much.

“Finn, you know I can’t shut him up, so how about you step up to the plate, eh? We’re trying to be sneaky here.”

Spike’s only reply is a yelp behind him.

“Thank you,” he says.

The voice that replies is not Riley's, but Xander's. “You’re welcome.”

Spike peeks over his shoulder and smirks at the boy, but the moment is quickly lost when Xander rushes past him to a cell where Oz is huddled in a corner. Guards quickly surround them and Buffy pulls the Colonel in front of her as a shield. Buffy starts to open her mouth, but Spike quickly interrupts.

“All right. We’re in charge, so drop the guns or the cute little girl is going to make sure you’re Colonel is here is a nice bit of shish kebab for the demons you’ve got down here.”

Buffy looks back at him with surprise and a bit of annoyance, probably at the little girl quip. He shrugs.

“I’ve been doing this longer than you have, ducks. Leave the threatening to the professionals.”

Buffy pokes the Colonel with the tip of her arrow for good measure and the Colonel nods to his men. They slowly put down their weapons and one comes forward to free Oz. Xander is still closest to the doors, but Willow quickly steps forward. The boy’s arm starts to go hairy the moment she’s near.

“Will, get back,” Oz says in a strained voice.

Red looks devastated and moves away again. Xander hands Oz some clothes and helps him out of the cell. They head for the elevator keeping the Colonel between them and the soldiers. It’s a short trip back up they all get out and wait. Riley disables the elevator controls and stares the Colonel down.

“You’re a dead man, Finn,” the Colonel says.

“No sir, I’m an anarchist,” Riley replies and punches the Colonel in the face.

“Yeah!” Spike hoots. “We’ll make a man of you yet, Sonny Jim.”

Riley rolls his eyes but he does turn to Spike.

“You were right, Spike, as much as I hate to admit it. I didn’t think we—they could stoop to harming innocent people. I don’t regret what they did to you because you’re a killer, but I can admit when I’m wrong. I’m sorry.”

“Um, right,” Spike says at a loss for words. He merely nods and pushes past the others to take point. As he passes Xander, he gets a small smile from the boy. It’s enough.


	15. The Yoko Factor

“The Slayer’s dangerous is all I’m saying,” Spike says seriously.

Adam focuses on the computers in front of him and ignores Spike. He’s done nothing but tap away at the things since Spike showed up at his cave of bloody wonders. Spike just thought dealing with the kids a second time around was tedious. It has nothing on putting up with Frankenloser twice. Besides, he’s been so over cave chic since he split up with Harmony that first time.

“She does make things interesting,” Adam says in his mechanical way.

Spike turns his back and rolls his eyes. He has to keep things they way they were. That was Giles’ suggestion, but it looks like he doesn’t have to do much work. Adam’s mind is set. Just like a computer, he can’t think outside the box.

“She’s taken out everything that’s reared its ugly head in this town. What makes you different? What makes you think she won’t stop your plan?” Spike asks.

“Because I’m counting on it.”

Spike mumbles, “Always good to have a plan.”

“You said you had killed two Slayers, and yet you fear this one.”

“Buffy’s not like the others. She’s more than just a sacred duty and a pair of tits. She’s not a puppet of the Watchers either. Summers is a whole new breed. And as you well know,” Spike says looking the monster up and down, “new can be dangerous.”

“You respect her. It almost sounds as if you care for her.”

Spike blinks owlishly as if he’d just been slapped. His hands tighten into fists. Carefully, he relaxes them. Spike’s first impulse is to go for the throat, but that would be a bad idea. Adam’s just shooting his stolen mouth off, he couldn’t know the truth. Instead, he growls, “I care enough that I want this chip out so that I can rip her to pieces. By the way, how’s that coming? You have access to their whole system. You must have the plans for my chip. You know how to disable it if not remove it completely.”

“In time.”

Spike grits his teeth, but takes a deep breath and lets it go. “What about a sign of good faith? I’d be able to do more if it was off.”

“You’d work for me without it? I may have only been born a few months ago, but I’m not a fool.”

“You’re so unconcerned about the Slayer. Maybe you’re unconcerned about my chip.”

Adam stares at him, but does not answer. Spike’s gotten off the subject, though, and tries another tack.

“I think maybe the Slayer and her little friends are going to eat you alive, mate. If you don’t start—“

“Friends?” Adam asks, and Spike has to keep the smile from forming on his face.

“Slayer’s friends help her. They’re a hard variable to account for. They’re smart and unpredictable. They’re probably why I haven’t taken her out yet. Slayers aren’t supposed to have friends.”

“Take them away from her.”

Spike leans back on the ratty couch and pretends to consider it. “There’s an idea. Getting rid of her friends and she’ll be fighting alone, plus a pouty Buffy kind of does it for me. Almost as much as a screaming in mindless pain Buffy does. Right, leave the Scoobies to me.”

“You can’t hurt them,” Adam says.

“Whose fault is that, then?” Spike spits back, but continues. “I won’t have to hurt them. I’ll even make them do all the work for me.”

Spike leaves the cave and heads to report to Giles. Adam is starting to get on his nerves. The thing is smart, but empty. He has no flair and talks too much about his master plan. At least Angelus had the good grace to rip people’s heads off while expositizing about how wonderful he was. Spike’s ashamed that he ever worked with Adam, the two-bit hack. It’s almost as embarrassing as his ‘relationship’ with Harmony. That was a bad idea times twelve no matter how good the sex was.

At the condo, he drops in unannounced, and of course Giles hasn’t bothered to lock his door. Spike smirks at the dulcet sounds of _Freebird_ drifting across the threshold. He quietly slips inside and pulls out his lighter. When Giles gets to the chorus, he flicks the lighter and holds it up. Giles gasps at the intrusion and grips the guitar.

“For God’s sake!”

“Don’t stop on my account. Rather listen to you sing then Adam drone on,” Spike says heading for the cabinet in the corner where Giles keeps his good alcohol. He throws the disks that Adam gave him onto the desk as he passes. At least he doesn’t need to pretend to steal them from the Initiative. There’s good bourbon inside the cabinet, so he snags it and two glasses. He pours for Giles first and hands it over.

Giles takes the glass with a nod and asks, “What have you found out?”

“Got the blighter thinking I’m going to break up the band.”

“What?”

“Buffy and the others. Last time, I had them at each other’s throats. You included. Just make sure the others don’t spend too much time together in the next few days. I’ll tell Adam that I’ve split them up.”

“Right. Have you had any more thoughts on the spell we were doing to fight Adam? If the time is getting as close as you say it is, then we should be getting ready. There may be ingredients that I need to get.”

“I told you before. I don’t know much about it. Just you, Willow, and Xander were doing some sort of ceremony thing and Buffy went off and killed Adam. It could have been any number of spells. I came in after it was all over with, sorry.”

Giles takes another sip of his bourbon and frowns. “You’re putting us at somewhat of a disadvantage here, Spike.”

“Oi, you all did just fine without me last time. You’ll do just as fine this one. I can’t be a crutch. That’s the last thing Buffy needs. Adam may be big bad at the moment, but he’s nothing compared to what’s coming. Trust me when I tell you he’s small motors.”

“You’re not afraid of Adam, but you are afraid of something. That worries me. What is coming, Spike?”

Spike thinks about Glory. Thinks about Joyce. Thinks about the Bit waiting to be born into the world. Thinks about Buffy dying. It won’t happen this time. Chip or no chip, he’s going to have a quiet word with Ben before anyone gets hurt. Nobody is going to touch the Summers girls. Nobody.

“Spike?” Giles says again.

Spike blinks and looks back at the concern on the Watcher’s face. It’s strange to see that expression pointed his way. It’s usually reserved for Buffy or one of the others.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of things.”

“Somehow that doesn’t reassure me.”

“It should, Giles. It should. Now quit holding that thing and play something,” Spike says motioning his glass toward the guitar before finishing his shot off and pouring another.

The next morning, Spike wakes to the sound of the door opening. He sits up to see Xander standing awkwardly in the door. It reminds him of the last time when he’d convinced the boy that his friends hated him. Spike bows his head.

“Hey,” Xander says softly.

“Hey,” Spike replies.

“Giles told me what’s going on. I brought you some stuff for your…” Xander trails off as he looks around.

“Crypt. It’s a dusty, horrible crypt. I lived here a few years. I mean—the last time. I had it fixed up nice with a big underground section, but now I just don’t see the point. I’m dead, maybe I deserve a graveyard.”

“At least it’s thematic.”

“True.”

Xander wipes his hands off on his backside and starts examining the tomb across from the one Spike sleeps on. The silence is loud in the confined space. Spike hates silence.

“I’m sorry.”

Xander keeps his back to Spike and says, “I talked to Giles about it. It wasn’t your fault. It was the ghosts. We didn’t have any control over—“

“No, I mean for what I said.”

“What did you say? Did you tell the others?” Xander says quickly, turning around.

“No, I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about last time. Adam wanted to get rid of you Scoobies. I had you all fighting each other. I really enjoyed messing with your head the most. Giles and Willow were just work. I think—I think I feel bad about it and I wanted to apologize.” Spike pauses. “And I have no idea why.”

“You’re giving me a serious wiggins, Spike.”

Spike jumps off the tomb and starts pacing. He needs to move around. He needs to escape, but it’s a typical sunny Southern California day, and he has nowhere to go. After a moment, he shouts, “ _You’re_ getting a wiggins? First of all, I feel bad. I never feel bad for other people. Secondly, I’m apologizing for being a bastard. I’m a bleedin’ vampire! And finally…”

“Finally?”

“I wouldn’t have done this for one of the others.”

“But you did do it for me.”

Spike crosses his arms and looks away. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he spits. “It’s, what do you call it, Stockholm syndrome.”

“Right. Doesn’t mean anything,” Xander quickly agrees. He waits a moment and just as the silence starts getting uncomfortable again, he says, “So the whole, Lowell thing…we’re good.”

“Yeah, sure. These things happen.”

“Every day. Well, I mean—“

Spike smirks. Xander sees it and rolls his eyes.

“Shut up,” Xander says.

“I wasn’t saying anything.”

“You don’t have to Mr. Eyebrow, and quit doing that head tilty thing at me.”

Spike straightens up.

“I swear, I need more guy friends,” Xander whines and heads toward the door.

“What about the stuff you brought me?”

Spike watches Xander freeze. He starts to tilt his head to the side, but stops before the boy can see it.

“I forgot it at my place,” Xander says honestly.

Spike chuckles. “I’ll come get it later.”

“Right. Well I’ll let you get back to sleeping or whatever.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

The moment Xander’s out the door. Spike shakes his head at himself.

“ _Bye?_ God, I’m such a wanker.”

He flops back onto the hard tomb and tries not to obsess over every detail of the conversation, because that would mean something, something very frightening indeed.

That night, he heads back over to Giles’ to see if Willow is there, so he can explain the disks. The Watcher is still pouring over his magical texts trying to figure out the spell that Spike had witnessed the end of, with the few clues that Spike could give him. Willow is trying to work on the disks, and Spike explains that they’re set up to decrypt themselves.

“Well, now I have nothing to do. Poo,” Willow says with her best pout face on. Tara pats her on the back in support.

“You can always help me,” Giles says, holding up a book absently while reading another.

Willow takes the book from Giles’ hand and says, “Research it is.”

“Count me out, I’m just here for some blood,” Spike says and winks at Tara.

The witch blushes beautifully and stammers, “I wha…was wondering. You’re a vampire, but you’re helping th…them.”

“That is a long and interesting story, and if you would care to join me in the kitchen, I’d be happy to tell you the whole thing,” he replies holding out the crook of his arm gallantly.

“Hey, don’t try putting moves on my girl, mister. I’ve got my eye on you,” Willow says quickly.

She doesn’t notice Giles looking up from his book and gaping at her from across the table. _That_ apparently will catch his attention away from research, the dirty old cuss. Spike tries not to snicker at the man’s expression, and lets him have at least some dignity in front of the kids. He distracts Willow by saying, “Don’t think I’m her type, Red.”

“You’re a vampire. You’re sneaky.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

Spike leads Tara into the kitchen and heats up some blood. He starts at the beginning, with him and Dru getting into town. He gives a blow-by-blow account of Parent Teacher Night, and goes on from there. It takes some time before he gets to the demon and the wish, leaving out important bits like Buffy’s death, his relationship with her, and the horrible end. He also leaves out Dawn and Glory. It’s safer for the girl if they all are taken by the spell that made her live. He wonders if his mind will be wiped as it had before, or if he will remember. Tara never flinches away from the gruesome stuff, which makes Spike proud. The other two slowly drift over as the night progresses, Willow first and then Giles. It’s after midnight when he finishes.

“It’s late. I’d better walk you ladies back to the dorms. It’s past time for little witches to be in bed,” Spike says wiggling his eyebrows and leering a bit.

Willow smacks his shoulder, but goes to gather her things. Giles yawns and walks back over to his books. Spike herds the girls out the door and yells back, “Don’t stay up too late, Watcher.” He’s surprised to get a two-fingered salute over the back of the couch and laughs merrily. Willow blinks in surprise as he shuts the door.

“I think you’re a bad influence on him,” Willow says.

“God, I hope so.”

After Willow and Tara are safely back in their dorms, Spike heads for Adam’s cave. He steels himself before going inside.

“I, my friend, am a genius. Your problem is solved,” he says smugly and walks about the room with arms spread as if preening for an audience.

“You took care of the Slayer’s friends?” Adam asks.

Spike turns away and gives a soft smile. “Always,” he says, “always.”


	16. Primeval

Spike hurries toward Adam's crypt. Time is getting short. Giles says that the Scoobies should be ready, but he still hasn't found the spell. Spike's been staying away from the others and hanging out in his crypt. He doesn't want Adam figuring out that he's not one of the bad guys. That thought makes Spike stop dead in his tracks. He curses himself for a few moments before taking an unneeded breath and letting it out. He promises himself that when this is all over, he'll kick a puppy or something to set things right. After he composes himself, Spike swaggers into the cave to see what the tin soldier is up to. He freezes when he sees Riley standing face to face with Adam.

"Bugger," he mutters under his breath, but Adam's enhanced hearing must have picked it up, because he turns to look at Spike.

"I didn't send for you, Spike," he says.

"Yeah, well...I'm not much the being sent for type," Spike responds. "I'd rather have this chip out if you don’t mind."

Riley is standing at attention and not saying a word. His eyes are blazing at Spike when he walks across in front of the man though. Spike frowns.

"What's with Corncob?" he asks.

"I've activated his chip."

"They put a chip in him too?" Spike asks still staring down Riley. "There's some irony for you."

Riley's eyes are threatening murder, but his face is blank. Spike almost feels sorry for him. He continues, "Imagine having a piece of hardware put inside of you against your will. One that prevents you from doing the most natural things that make you...you. That's barbaric, isn't it?"

The fire in Riley's eyes softens a bit. Spike mentally shakes himself. It would be so easy to leave Riley here to Adam's machinations, but it would hurt Buffy. He hates that he still has feelings for her, even after things have changed.

"What of the Slayer?" Adam asks.

"I told you I took care of her friends. She's on her own. Now she doesn't even have the boyfriend thanks to you. I did my part. I want the chip out. Now."

"That wasn't the deal. You were to separate her from her friends and deliver her to the Initiative. We have yet to see her arrive. I need her there to ensure that as many demons die as humans. She will achieve maximum carnage before she's too weak to go on."

Riley's jaw twitches under some strain. He manages to strangle out, "You can't! I knew you were behind this, Spike. There's no way they'd believe—"

"Stop talking," Adam orders.

Spike lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The solider almost gave the whole game away. Adam turns to him in impatience.

Spike says, "You want her in the Initiative. Fine. She'll be there if I have to shove those disks you gave me up her—"

"Then you should go."

Spike grits his teeth. Being ordered around like a servant is not something he's used to, not since Angelus at any rate. How had he not seen the first time that Adam never intended to remove the chip? Spike steps up to Riley as he leaves.

"You should never trust a vampire, mate. They'll double cross you every time," he says slipping the soldier a small knife from his coat. Riley's eyes widen, but Spike turns for the exit in a swirl of leather.

He has plenty of time before the disks are set to decrypt. Giles will only pester him some more about the spell if he goes over there. Spike knows that Buffy would want to know about Finn, but he doesn't want her doing something stupid like rushing in to rescue him before they're ready. So he needs to avoid her as if he wouldn't be doing that already. At a loss for what to do, he remembers that Xander has some things for his crypt so he goes to the basement.

The room is dark, but it's still early evening. There's some horrid country twallop wailing on his cheap CD player. Spike lets himself in and slaps the player off. There's a suspicious lump in the covers. Spike pokes it a bit until it moves. He picks up the covers in order to rip them off, but the sight of a bare flank makes him drop the comforter like it was on fire.

"Oi, get up. I'm here to collect."

There's a muffled mumbling coming from the pillow. Spike sits down on the side of the bed. He gets no reaction.

"Right, what happened?" he asks.

"Gtfbbrd," is the response.

"What?" Spike asks. When a clarification isn't given, he elbows the lump and immediately bends in two, head between his legs as the chip fires merrily. "Argh! That couldn't have hurt him! I didn't even do it that hard!"

The yelling must get Xander's attention, because he rolls over. He pulls the blankets primly over his chest as he sits up.

"You okay?" he asks.

"Lovely. Just lovely," Spike grits out rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Now tell Uncle Spike what happened while his head turns to mash."

"I got fired."

Spike blinks a few times until his vision clears and asks, "What? From the bike shop?"

"Yeah, the owner couldn't afford having two new employees and since I was the last one he hired, he let me go. Wait, how did you know I was working at the bike shop?"

"S'not important. So why aren't you out looking for another job?"

"Why bother? They don't have anything good, and if I get a job I'll just get fired again. Maybe I should just join the Army like Riley. At least they feed you."

"Yeah and then they shoot you full of drugs and stick chips in your chest."

"What?"

Spike waves him off and lies back on the bed next to Xander. His head is still throbbing. Xander looks uncomfortable for a moment before he lies back too.

"You're supposed to be from the future. Am I always going to be a loser? The whole evil thing means that you'll tell me the truth because it hurts, right?"

"You're not a loser, Xander. You're just a kid. It takes a while before people figure out who they are. I mean do you think I was always the dashingly handsome, bloody cool guy I am today?"

Xander looks over at him and asks, "What were you like when you were human?"

"We're talking about you, not me."

"But you brought it—"

"Shut up! Right, where was I?"

"Dashingly handsome."

"Yes, now all you have to do is find something you're good at. Something you like to do."

Xander looks back at the ceiling and is silent for a few moments. Spike wants to just shove him at the nearest construction site, but Xander won't be any good to himself unless he comes at it on his own.

"I like to fix things. I helped fix Giles' place after he went all demony."

Spike doesn't hide his smile. "Well there you go. Have you looked for jobs where you fix or build stuff?"

"Like a handyman?"

"I suppose that would work, but what about something bigger, something you could make a career of."

"They're always hiring for construction around here, but I could never get a job like that."

"Well why not? It's smacking things with hammers. Doesn't exactly take a college degree, does it? They don't care about things like that. They just want someone dependable that will get the job done. And if there's anyone dependable around here it's you."

"What do you mean? I'm not dependable. I've gotten fired for it, actually."

"Who do your little mates turn to when they have a problem? Who do they know will fix it? They look at you, Xander. You make every stupid Scooby meeting. You're out there every night busting your knackers to keep the idiots of this town safe. If that's not dependable, what is? You've just got to start putting effort like that into the rest of your bloody life and quit feeling sorry for yourself, because, frankly, I'm sick of the whining. I'd eat you just to get a moments peace if I could."

Spike ignores the full on grin that Xander has on his face. It doesn't make his insides feel like jelly at all. Xander rolls on to his side and props his head up on a bent arm. They're very close on the bed and Spike can feel the boy's warmth like a siren call. He stares resolutely at the ceiling.

"Look at you all Advice Vamp."

"Wot? I can't have layers?"

"You're full of oniony goodness."

Spike turns to look at him then.

Xander goes into a full babble. "By onion I mean in the having of layers not in that you stink, because you don't. Well, sometimes you smell like cigarettes, but it's not that bad, and the leather kind of cancels it out. Which is better than smelling like pizza any day, although pizza can smell pretty good and...and..." Xander says winding down at Spike's look. "I'll stop now."

"You do that, pet."

"I just wanted to say thanks."

Feeling silly, Spike says, "I just came because you said you had some stuff for me."

"Right. Of course you did. I'll go and get it," Xander says, but doesn't move. They stare at each other, inches away, for a few moments. "Going. Anytime now."

Spike smiles and since the boy won't, he moves the five inches and presses his lips to Xander's. The kiss is soft because he doesn't want to scare Xander any more than he already has. He's surprised when a hand slides across his chest, takes his shoulder, and pulls him onto his side. They're pressed together from chest to hip. The slight warmth he'd felt before is like an explosion when they touch. Spike pushes his tongue past Xander's lips and runs his hand down the boy's sun kissed back. If it happens to move the ugly comforter off him, well that's just a bonus. Xander wraps around him and moans a bit around Spike's exploring tongue. Spike's hand slides down his hip. Xander gasps softly as if he'd completely forgotten that he was naked under the covers. The night of Lowell House had been dark and fevered. Spike wants to look and take his time. He's moved away from Xander's mouth and has started kissing and sucking at the long throat in earnest when the phone rings like St. Mark's Cathedral in the silent room. They both freeze.

Spike growls, "Ignore it."

"It's probably Willow with an Adam update. I have to."

Spike sighs and rolls away from the boy. Xander sits up and tries to get out of the bed while using the blanket as a cover. He doesn't get very far seeing as how Spike's lying on it and not about to move. After fighting for a second, Xander just blushes and runs for the phone in the buff. Spike ogles the bare backside before Xander grabs a towel to wrap around himself.

"Hello?" he says sounding winded. "No, no you didn't interrupt anything. I was just in bed and had to run for the phone, Willow."

Spike snorts. Xander throws a spatula from the little card table that doubles as his dining room. Spike catches it easily and leers again at Xander while slapping his palm with the spatula suggestively. The colors that the boy turns are very entertaining, and the towel isn't hiding his true feelings very well which makes Spike's leer even bigger. On the phone, Willow tells him that the disks have decrypted and that they're having a Scooby meeting at Giles'. Xander says he'll be there shortly and hangs up. Spike stares at him. Xander's face is a study in conflict. He obviously wants to crawl back into the bed with Spike, but instead, he grabs his clothes and hustles into the bathroom. Spike is waiting for him at the door when he comes out. They walk over to Giles' in silence. When they cross Main Street, Spike steals a copy of the local paper from the coffee shop. He slaps it against Xander's chest with a raised eyebrow. Xander smiles softly and sticks the paper under his arm.

At Giles' Willow and the Watcher are going through spell books again. Buffy is pacing.

"Ah, Xander, I see you brought Spike. Good, I thought I was going to have to go to the crypt to round him up," Giles says.

"Come up with anything yet?" Spike asks and sits in the corner chair across from the couch where Willow is hold up with a lap full of books.

"No, all of Adam's plans were on the disks just as you said they were. Unfortunately, at this point its information we already know thanks to you. There must be some way to stop this thing."

"According to Riley, his power source is a uranium core embedded somewhere inside his chest. Probably near the spine," Buffy says.

"So the magic spell stops that?" Willow asks. "What about some kind of uranium extracting spell?" They all stare at her and she cringes and says, "I know. I'm reaching."

Giles says, "I've been looking at paralyzing spells, but the best choice I can't perform."

"Don't you have to speak Sumerian or something?" Willow asks looking at the book in Giles' hands.

"I do speak Sumerian. It's not only that. Only an experienced witch can incant it, and you'd have to be within striking distance of this object."

Xander smirks and says to Buffy, "See what you get for taking French instead of Sumerian?"

"What was I thinking?" she quips back.

Spike merely shakes his head at them. How do they beat the bad guys when they can't even take themselves seriously?

Xander continues, "So no problem, all we need is combo Buffy—her with Slayer strength, Giles' multi-lingual know how, and Willow's witchy power."

Giles looks at him. Spike sits forward. Xander ducks his head at the scrutiny.

"Yeah," he says, "don't tell me. I'm just full of helpful suggestions."

"As a matter of fact, you are," Giles says. He looks over at Spike who shrugs.

It doesn't take them long at all to get prepared. Buffy leads the way to Lowell House. Giles and Spike take the rear. He's already explained the layout and where they preformed the spell the first go around and about the secret lab. They've gone over it several times, but the kids are still jittering.

"Nervous?" Willow asks.

"No way," Xander replies. "I'm full of that good old kamikaze spirit."

"Xander, just because this is never going to work, there's no need to be negative," Giles says behind them.

Spike shakes his head and says, "Is it too late to switch sides again?"

The others look back at him. They're reflected in the wall sized mirror. He of course doesn't show. There's something symbolic about it that Spike isn't comfortable with.

"Just asking," he says.

Buffy rolls her eyes and kicks in the mirror. They rappel down the shaft, kids first and then Englishmen. By the time he and Giles are at the bottom there's some kind of group hugging going on. Giles gets pulled in and he obviously has no idea what to do about it. They all move as if they're going to include Spike in the loving, but think better about it. He's more relieved than they are. Giles moves awkwardly away and uses a crowbar to get the elevator door open. There are soldiers pointing guns at them before it's even all the way apart. They're escorted to the Colonel's office.

Buffy starts, "Colonel—"

"Shut up. You've got some nerve, lady. You think you and your friends and just keep waltzing into a government installation brandishing weapons like—" the Colonel says pulling out the gourd in Giles' bag.

"It's a gourd," Willow offers.

"Magic gourd," Giles corrects looking a tad embarrassed.

"What kind of freaks are you people? It's bad enough that you're running around with a HST," he says pointing at Spike.

Buffy ignores him and says, "Adam is here, Colonel. In the Initiative."

"The only monster here that shouldn't be is that!"

He makes a gesture and one of the soldiers steps up. Before Spike can react he's hit full force with one of their stun guns. He crumples to his feet in pain as all his muscles start to spasm wildly. Through the thundering in his ears, he thinks he hears Xander and the others yell out. The pain is a hundred times worse than the chip. Two strong hands hook under his arms and he's dragged out the room. He blacks out before they're half way down the hall.

The sounds of klaxons wake him. He's aware of someone going through his pockets. Weakly he strikes out and gets a fist full of fangs. The vampire bent over him falls back on his ass. The room is oppressively white.

"Oh God. Not again," he mumbles rolling over onto his hands and knees. He has the strong urge to vomit, but holds his breath to keep it at bay. He looks around to see he's in one of the Initiative cells, only this time he's sharing it with two other vamps. There are red lights flashing on and off in the hall. The surrounding demons are making a tremendous noise that blend with the sirens to make Spike's head feel like it's going to pop open and spill its candy on the floor.

"Dude, the greens are running all over and I haven't seen a white coat in hours," the vamp by the door says. "Something's going down."

"You think?" Spike says snidely. Slowly he gets to his feet and looks at the panic going on beyond the electrified glass. "Don't worry. We're getting out of here soon."

"How would you know? You're new. I've been in here for a month."

"I know the guy that's trying to take this place down. He's moving tonight. Besides this is not the first time I've been here. Oh, and by the way, shut it!" Spike growls pulling a stake from his coat. The fact that the soldiers didn't search him is unbelievable. It's as if they don't even care anymore. Of course, they have more to worry about now. Spike stakes the vamp on the floor that had been trying to rob him. The one by the door turns with full game face. He makes about two steps before Spike kicks him into the glass. The electricity pops and throws him back further into the room. Spike brings the stake home with a snap. No sooner has the second vamp filtered to the floor than the lights go out. The cell door opens. The hall is full of rampaging demons. Spike follows the wave of bodies. The soldiers are responding at the end of the hall, but there are too many demons for them to hold back. Once they break out into the main floor, Spike starts making his way towards the secret lab. There are guns going off and a few explosions. The crackle of the stun guns and the roars of a hundred different types of demons make it hard to concentrate. He does his best to take out some of the tougher monsters on his way. He gets shot at a few times, but his speed works to his advantage. Half way across the floor, he sees Buffy bashing her way through the crowd. Giles and the others are behind her trying to move fast and not scream target. Spike jumps to the top of some oil drums and flies toward them with a roar. He lands behind a Fyarl that looks surprisingly like Giles had. Spike snaps its neck and stakes a vamp going after Willow.

"Spike!" she yells. "Are you okay?"

"Been better, ducks, now move!"

Buffy takes half a second to look behind her and see that Spike's protecting the others before she pushes ahead toward the lab. They make their way inside 314. Spike helps Buffy barricade the door with a heavy cabinet. He leans against it heavily as she goes to open the access to the secret lab. Giles sits on the floor with Willow and Xander to set up the spell. Buffy looks back over her shoulder at the others with a worried expression. Spike joins her.

"Don't worry about it, Slayer. I've got them. You worry about Adam and your Riley."

"Once I'm in, barricade the door behind me."

"Got it," he says.

She asks Giles, "How long before the ritual kicks in?"

"Five minutes, give or take," Giles replies.

Buffy just nods resolutely and disappears down a small hallway. Spike closes the doors behind her and finds another cabinet to push over the exit. He moves into the corner closest by the door they came in by and crouches down out of the way.

Giles lights a candle. Willow begins to chant.

"The power of the Slayer and all who yield it. Last to ancient first, we invoke thee. Grant us thy domain and primal strength. Accept us in the power we possess. Make us mind and heart and spirit joy. Let the hand encompass us. Do thy will."

She pulls out the tarot cards and places one before her in the center of the circle facing the gourd.

"Spiritus....Spirit," she says.

She hands a card to Xander, which he takes and places in front of him facing the gourd again.

"Animus...Heart," she says.

Giles is handed his card which he also places facing the gourd.

"Sophus...Mind," she says.

The final card is laid for Buffy in the other room.

"And Manus...the Hand."

Spike feels the hairs on his skin stand up as the magic begins to build. He's never been one for the stuff, but it was something that Dru liked to play with. Spike's seen his fair share of spells, but this one is stronger, older and the demon rattles its place inside him. He feels his fangs drop unconsciously.

"We enjoin that we may inhabit the vessel--the hand...daughter of Sineya...first of the ones... We implore thee, admit us, bring us to the vessel, take us now."

There's an upsurge of wind like the breath of god. The other's heads fall back as if they are looking towards the ceiling. Spike can hear a mingle of voices.

 _"We can. We are forever."_

Giles lips start moving but he can hear all the voices as one again speaking Sumerian. He watches entranced when suddenly there is a bash against the door. Cursing, Spike jumps to his feet and leans against the cabinet keeping the door closed.

"Hurry up you lot!"

 _"Kur,"_ the voices say together.

The door inches in under the constant assault. Spike shoulders the cabinet back into place. He looks back to see Xander's lips moving this time in conjunction with the voices.

 _"You could never hope to grasp the source of our power, but yours is right here._

Then it seems it's Willow's turn to lip-synch to the Greek Chorus. She speaks Sumerian just as flawlessly as Giles did before. As soon as her lips stop moving, the three drop to the ground. The door slams into the cabinet again knocking it and Spike back. He lands on the floor beside Xander just as the demon enters the room on all fours. Spike kicks out and gets the thing under the chin. Before it can gain its footing again, he's on his feet and slams down his fists on its chest. There is a loud snap and the demon gurgles before going limp.

"Giles! Talk to me!" Spike says rounding on the others.

"We're fine. Just a bit drained. It's over."

The cabinet toward the other door shutters in place. Spike hops over the limp Scoobies and pulls it out of the way so that Buffy can enter, supporting Finn. The man takes in Spike and the scraggly team. He's bleeding from his chest. Buffy is supporting most of his bulk. Spike doesn't offer to help, but to his surprise Riley holds out the knife. It's bloody. Spike glances from the knife to the man's chest.

"Thanks," Finn says.

Spike nods and tucks the knife away silently. He turns to the others and helps Giles to his feet. Willow and Xander steady each other. The noise from the outside of 314 hasn't abated.

"We've still got men out there," Riley reminds them.

Buffy looks over her friends and her eyes end up on Spike. He raises his eyebrow at her and she nods.

"You organize the soldiers, pull 'em back," she says to Riley. "I'll take point. Spike you take clean up."

"Thought you'd never ask, pet. Let's go kick some demon ass!"


	17. Restless (Or Spike and Tara Save the World)

Spike walks back toward his crypt with a sense of satisfaction. Adam is back to spare parts. The Slayer may have taken him out, but Spike was part of the team. He still feels a slight twinge from the demon about it, but he can't deny that there had been some good violence. The Watcher had gathered up the pups and herded them off to Joyce's after the great escape. Buffy had strongly hinted that he wasn't invited, not that he wanted to go anyway. So back to the crypt it is. He's halfway there when he sees someone familiar skulking around a corner.

"Rayne," Spike mumbles and runs to catch up. By the time he reaches the corner, the mage has disappeared, possibly literally. "Bugger," Spike spits.

His first instinct is to head over to Revello drive, but he knows the others are exhausted after the spell. Giles and Willow are in no shape to be throwing around any magic, that's for sure. There's only one place he can turn. He turns and runs toward campus.

She blinks at him with soft eyes. He's obviously woke her up. The kitty covered pajama pants are a big clue.

"Sorry to wake you up, love, but it looks like I need a witch," he says.

Tara doesn't invite him in, which he's proud of. Instead, she bites her lip and says, "I...I'm not that g—good. Willow's stronger."

"Willow's drained after tonight. You'll have to do. Go on and get dressed, pet. There's a Chaos Mage on the loose and it looks like we're the only ones who can stop him."

He waits outside while she changes. It doesn't take long before she steps out. The long flowing skirt and cutesy T-shirt are just so Tara that he has a sudden nostalgic longing for his own time. Tara is the one person that would always talk to him. No matter what was going on with the Slayer or the others, he could always depend on Tara and the Bit. Without even thinking about it, Spike wraps his arms around her shoulders and hugs her close. Tara is stiff, unyielding, and when he pulls away she looks unnerved.

"Wh—what was that for?" she asks.

Spike realizes what he's done and coughs with embarrassment. He steps back and straightens his coat.

"I just—I—Let's just pretend that never happened, okay?"

"Are the others...is Willow okay?"

"They're fine. They're all over at Buffy's. Big bad destroyed and all that."

"Oh. Good. You said something about a Chaos Mage?" she asks, thankfully changing the subject.

"Right, did Willow tell you about Giles getting turned into a demon?" he asks leading her out of the dorms.

She shakes her head and he can see the doubt in her eyes that has nothing to do with Giles and Willow. For a moment he wonders why and then he realizes she's thinking of herself. Spike pulls up short.

"Right first things first, let's get that out of the way," he says.

"What?" she asks confused.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about this, and this is a good a time as any. Then we can deal with that Rayne wanker. You're family is a load of gits. You're not a demon, and I can prove it."

Tara stumbles back in shock. She starts looking around for an escape route. Spike holds his hand up to stop her. He really wishes that Buffy had beat Tara's father black and blue when she had the chance. Maybe this time he can talk her into it. Before Tara can start to babble at him he takes her arm and pulls her off the sidewalk under a tree where they'll have a little more privacy. It seems to make her more panicked so he starts talking.

"Listen, you know this chip goes off if I hurt humans, but not if I hurt demons, right?"

Tara looks too panicked to reply, so Spike merely reaches over to her slowly and give her a good hard pinch on the arm. The chip sizzles to life, and he leans back on the tree waiting for the pain to stop. His face is clenched for a moment so it isn't until he opens his eyes that he realizes she looks like she's about to cry. He very nearly succeeds in not cursing his head off in front of her.

"Bloody hell woman! I'm hurting myself to make a point here!"

Tara pauses. The damp eyes look at him and suddenly fill with wonder instead of tears. Spike smirks at her.

"Oh, the other shoe drops, does it? You're no more a demon than the Queen Mum. Then again, she has lived a long bleedin' time," Spike pauses to collect his thoughts and continues. "Anyway, it doesn't matter even if you were a demon, luv. You couldn't be evil if you tried. It's who you are and what you do in life that matters."

"Like how you help Buffy and the others?" she asks meekly.

Spike frowns at that and yells, "I'm evil! Don't think any different! Rip your guts out soon as look at you if I could."

Tara shrinks back at his outburst. "R...really?"

Spike deflates and pats her on the shoulder before replying, "No, not really. I wouldn't hurt you, Glinda. You've been good to me."

"I have?"

"You...will...be good to me. Don't make me think about the time travel business! It hurts my head. Just trust me on this. Sooner or later your old man is going to show up spouting off his usual demon nonsense. When he does, you come tell me and I'll punch him in the face chip or no chip. Better yet, I'll make Buffy punch him in the face. That'll get him! Being beaten up by a woman, ha!"

Tara's eyes grow wet once more, and he's not sure what he's done to upset her again. Before an apology can slip past his lips she grabs a hold of him in a tight hug. Spike soaks up the warmth and lets her collect herself. When she pulls away, it's her turn to have post hug awkwardness.

"Right, now that we've gotten all the disgustingly mushy stuff out of the way, do you think we can get to work?" Spike asks.

"You said there was a chaos mage?"

"His name's Ethan Rayne. He's an old mate of Giles' from the Watcher's wild days."

"Giles had wild days?"

"Not compared to mine, but wild enough that he's embarrassed as hell about them now. It's pretty entertaining, actually."

"How are we going to find this Ethan?" she asks.

"I suppose we'll follow the trouble. What's the first thing you'd do if you were a chaos mage that had escaped from a government prison?"

"Open the Hellmouth?"

Spike cocks an eyebrow at her. She flushes a bit under his gaze.

"Remind me never to piss you off, pet."

Tara ducks her head and follows Spike as he heads toward the high school ruins. As they get closer, she grips his hand in hers. He looks down at their threaded fingers. She's scared and nervous and will be absolutely no good to him if Rayne pops out and says so much as boo. He squeezes her hand to make her look at the leer on his face.

"Careful, ducks, you'll end up making Red jealous. I have been known to be irresistible."

Tara smiles at him, but doesn't let go of his hand. When they get to the doors of the school they both cringe at the feeling. The usual high he gets from the Hellmouth is altered and oily. It feels like the beetles from the wish demon's cave crawling on him all over again. Spike gives an involuntary shudder.

"He's here. He's done something to the Hellmouth," Tara says.

"I hope you brought the big guns in that bag of yours."

Tara pulls out a red colored mushroom and a smooth, polished rock that's a dark forest green color. Spike stares at the meager offerings.

"Well," he says snidely in a loud voice, "It's a good thing I wasn't worried."

Tara shushes him and replies, "You wanted a witch."

"True enough. I hate magic."

"It depends on the kind."

Spike nods and sweeps a hand in front of him at the blackened doors of the high school. When Tara looks as ready as she ever will, he opens the doors and walks in first. She's so close behind that his coat bumps against her legs every few steps. When they get closer to the library, she pulls forward. The hole that used to be Buffy's base of operations is glowing with a purplish light. The air crackles with ozone and little sparks of electricity pop every so often. Tara waves the mushroom over the rock a few times. After the third pass, the electricity flares bright white and Spike has to look away and rub his eyes.

Tara bites her lip after the fireworks and pulls him out into the hall. She looks grim.

"What?" Spike asks.

"He's done something to the Hellmouth. It's complicated. I can't break it without damaging the structure of the spell."

"So?"

"It would be like trying to diffuse a nuclear bomb. The Hellmouth is very sensitive to magic. Ripping the spell apart could set off a chain reaction that could make the Hellmouth open with it."

"And that would be bad. Right. We need more help."

"Giles?"

"Same situation I was in earlier. He and Willow are no good tonight, and we don't know what Rayne has planned for this light show."

"It's similar to a glamour, but there's something really ominous about it."

Spike draws up short and says, "A glamour?"

"What?"

"I think I know someone that might be of help. The trick is finding him."

Spike stalks out of the school with Tara close behind. He walks to the nearest phone booth and picks up the phone book. It takes him a minute to find it, but thankfully it's the only name of its kind. He memorizes the address and is back out on the sidewalk again, moving quickly. Tara keeps up and didn't once ask him what they are doing. The trust is surprising. He keeps forgetting that she hardly knows him. He glances back at her and gives her a grin. She returns it with a dose of encouragement.

The house is dark. Spike bangs on the door until the porch light comes on. A harried, sleepy eyed woman in curlers answers the door. Spike puts on his best charming smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Levinson, is Jonathan home?" he asks.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes ma'am, and I'm sorry to wake you up, but there's been an accident. One of Jonathan's friends is hurt and I knew he'd want to know as soon as possible."

The woman looks at him skeptically, but is interrupted by Jonathan coming to the door in Star Wars pajamas. He's wiping his eyes like a little boy, and Spike can't help but notice the teddy bear that is quickly hid behind his back when he spots Spike on the stoop.

"Jonathan?" his mother asks. There's a world of questions in that one word.

"It's all right, mom. Go back to bed."

The woman gives a disapproving look, but disappears back into the dark house. Jonathan waits a moment until she is out of earshot before turning back to them.

He hisses, "What are you doing here, Spike?"

"We need your help. Tuck the teddy back in and get some pants on."

Jonathan's weak chin takes a stubborn slant. "And if I don't?" he asked. "It's not like you can cross this threshold to make me."

"No, you're right, I can't, but my witchy friend here can turn you into a toad," Spike replies. He looks back at Tara to find that there is a serviceable evil grin on her face.

Jonathan sighs, "Fine."

He closes the door on them and they wait. After a few moments, Jonathan shuffles outside with a small leather satchel. Spike throws an arm around his shoulders, just to get the shiver of fear he knows can.

"So what's going on?" Jonathan asks with a shaky voice.

"Chaos mage has done something to the Hellmouth. Tara here's a white witch and she says it's like a glamour. Since you like fooling people with magic, I figured it'd be right up your alley."

"A Chaos mage? That's heavy stuff. I'm really not that good at spells. You know how my last one turned out."

"Jonathan, you rewrote reality for a whole town. Now I'm no wizard, but even I know that takes some power. That kind of power can take you places you don't want to end up, I can promise you that. Consider this a public service. You help us take out the bad guy and we keep you from hanging out with the wrong element."

"But you're a vampire," Jonathan says with confusion.

"And?"

“That’s kind of the definition of the wrong element.”

“Oh pish, I’m full of the marrow of human kindness, me.”

“Only because you ate it,” Jonathan mumbles and looks at Tara for help.

She just hides a grin behind her hand. The three of them head back to the school. There is still no sign of Rayne. Jonathan and Tara talk shop after she shows him her trick with the mushroom and rock. Spike tunes them out and does some reconnaissance in the rest of the building hoping to find some hint of Rayne. He comes back empty handed and by the defeated look on the other two's faces they've hit a wall as well.

"So?" Spike asks.

Jonathan sighs and explains, "Tara's right. This thing is far too dangerous to take on. I think I know more about what it's supposed to do, but I can't help stop it. I think the only thing that could is the caster."

"So Rayne has to undo it?"

Tara nods.

"Then we have to find him. Damn, I was hoping it wouldn't come to that. For all we know he's half way to Timbuktu by now."

"I don't think so," Jonathan says.

"Why?" Tara asks.

"Well, Chaos mages feed off chaos energy. It's the source of their power. If he does something to the Hellmouth, it's going to cause a lot of chaos. It'd be like cooking Thanksgiving dinner and then leaving it for someone else to eat."

"You're right," Spike agrees. "Rayne would stick around to enjoy his handy work. But where?"

"If he did a spell this big, we could probably track the residual energy left over from it, maybe?" Jonathan looks to Tara for affirmation.

"He's right. I should have thought of that, but we'll need some supplies."

"Magic shop it is," Spike says, once again spinning and heading outside. He lets the two behind him try to keep up.

The magic shop is just as he remembers it, although it isn’t as cheerful as when Giles will own it. Spike picks the lock on the back door, while Tara plays lookout. Jonathan stands next to him wringing his hands like a Victorian spinster.

“Will you calm down? You’re distracting me. I can practically hear you sweat,” Spike grumbles.

“Well, excuse me! I didn’t expect to get woken up in the middle of the night to go breaking and entering with a vampire!”

Spike flinches and hisses back, “Keep it down!”

“I’m really not cut out for this sort of thing,” Jonathan whines. “Why’d you come to me anyway?”

“Partly to keep an eye on you, but mostly because I knew you could help. Who knows? Maybe this will get you in with the Scoobies.”

Jonathan’s eyes flash in the dim light from the street lamps beyond the alley. The hope in them makes Spike look back at the lock and cringe. He hopes Buffy doesn’t stake him for this.

“Do you—do you really think so?” Jonathan asks.

The door opens under Spike’s gentle care and he uses it as a cover not to answer. Tara quickly follows them inside.

“Get what you need and anything else that might come in handy. Somehow I don’t think that Rayne will go quietly this time. Especially considering that I can’t lay a hand on the wanker.”

The two of them get to work discussing the spell they’re going to and the merits of mother’s wart or whatever. Spike takes the free time while they’re distracted to pocket a few trinkets that he can sell later.

The furniture is all wrong, but it’s still the Magic Box. He almost expects Buffy and Dawn to flounce through the door. Anya would be behind the counter counting money. Xander would be sitting at the table with Willow pretending to read some of Giles’ old tomes but really catching forty winks. Spike finds himself smiling at the very thought of Xander and has shake his head to clear the image.

“We’re ready,” Tara says and lays some money on the counter. When the other two look at her, she just gives them a small frown. “Not all of us are bad guys.”

“I’m not a bad guy. Not really,” Jonathan says indignantly.

Spike rolls his eyes and replies, “Yeah, we’re both just misunderstood. Can we get on with this?”

The three of them return to the Hellmouth. Outside the library’s askew doors, Tara and Jonathan do a little chanting while tossing herbs all over the floor. Spike stays out of the way. Suddenly, there’s a clap like a gunshot. Spike jumps at the sound, but it only precedes a soft lavender glow. It rises up like mist from the herbs and coalesces into a thin ribbon of purple smoke that drifts down the hall. They follow with Spike in the lead. He wrenches a lead pipe the length of a staff from one of the exposed walls, just before they exit. One can never be too careful. The smoke drifts down the quiet streets. They follow it across the south edge of town. A couple of vamps show some interest in their party during the trip, but Spike flashes some fang at them to warn them off.

They are led into the hilly part of town on the other side of the park. There’s a steep dirt road that leads to the top of the hill. It’s a popular lover’s lane because of the view at the top. Spike used to pick off a couple of teens a week up there. He stops when they’re about three quarters the way up.

“You were right Jonathan. He’s probably sitting up there on the top of the hill waiting to watch the fireworks. The road leaves us exposed at the top. I usually come up the backside when I come up here. The trees block you from view.”

Tara gives him a knowing look at that statement, but being evil he doesn’t flinch, much. Jonathan misses the byplay and asks, “So you’re saying we should go around to the other side?”

“No, I’m saying I’m going around to the other side. You keep going.”

“You’re using us as bait?”

“Distraction, ‘s different. You guys are all prepared, right? He’s probably knackered from his spell earlier. It’ll be a piece of cake. We’ll give him the old one-two.”

Spike doesn’t give them the chance to argue and stalks off around the hill. Once he’s covered by the trees, he picks up some speed. By the time he gets around to the edge of the clearing at the top, he can see Tara and Jonathan coming up the road holding hands. Tara has a sprig of something in her other hand clenched into a tight fist. Jonathan mirrors her on the other side with a chunky crystal. There’s one car parked at the overlook. Rayne sits on its hood looking out over the lights of Sunnydale below. He looks back at the pair walking up behind his car.

“Well this is surprising. I must say, I was expecting dear old Ripper any time now. Or even a spunky Slayer perhaps, but who are you?”

“We’re here to stop you, Wizard!” Jonathan says in his best comic book hero wannabe voice. Spike slaps a hand over his face and shakes his head.

Rayne gives a snort. “Is that so?” he says. He’s turned to look at them over his shoulder so his other hand is blocked from their view. Spike can see it clearly from his vantage point and notices it starting to glow.

“DOWN!” he yells and bolts from the trees.

Jonathan merely gapes like a caught fish, but Tara goes down and her death grip on his hand pulls him down with her. A bright crackling ball of energy flies from Rayne’s hand and blasts through the air they were just standing in. Spike goes into game face and gives his best growl. The pole comes down inches from Rayne and leaves a serious dent in the hood. It’s mostly just a scare tactic. Spike can’t hit Rayne, and he won’t try until it’s absolutely necessary. Once he does, he’ll be out of the action completely thanks to the sodding chip.

Rayne rolls away from the blow and goes right off the hood to his knees on the ground. By this time, Tara has pulled Jonathan back up and starts to chant. He echoes her back with a shaky voice. Rayne apparently knows what spell they’re doing because he starts his own chant in a guttural language that even Spike’s never heard before. Spike tries for another distraction diving at the man, but a gale force wind starts to whip around Rayne’s body. He’s making his own tornado with himself safely in the eye. Spike’s leap towards the man is brought to an abrupt halt in mid air as he hits the column of wind. It jerks him to the side and flings him out over the edge of the lookout’s cliff.

“Bollocks!” he yelps as Rayne and the other two disappear out of sight as he falls down the face of the hill. Spike twists and manages to bash into a tree growing out of the side of the steep incline. It knocks wind out of his lungs that, thankfully, he doesn’t need. The next jolt comes from a tall shrub that he smashes through before finally hitting the ground in an aggressive roll. He bounces along the rough landscape of brush and rocks. The world is a spinning mass of earth and sky. Each roll onto his back he can a see a light show going off at the top of the hill only to have it ripped away as his turn completes and he gets a face full of dirt. There’s a large elm a quarter way up the hill. He approaches it at an alarming rate. It’s obviously dying because there is no greenery, just gnarled branches poking in every direction. Spike scrabbles with the dirt trying to slow himself down or find a handhold, something, anything. He manages only in snapping his right arm against a sharp rock. The pain barely has time to blossom before his back slams into the elm. The pain of the impact makes him forget all about his arm. He’s jarred to the bone. It takes a moment for his vision to clear. He tries to move but finds resistance and only pain.

Spike looks down to see a large blood covered branch protruding from his chest. His impact has shattered the tip, but the thick end next to the trunk has held enough to become a crude stake. An inch or so higher and he would have been dust. He tries to pull himself from the spear of wood, but he’s too weak and injured. After a moment of painful struggling, Spike lays back against the trunk of the tree. It’s growing out from the hill at a twisted angle. He’s reclined back in a mockery of comfort. He can’t see the top of the slope in the darkness. The light show from earlier has ended. Spike gasps and it comes out a wet gurgle. He’s punctured a lung for sure, possibly both. He can’t pull in enough air to speak. Either Jonathan and Tara won or they didn’t. If they did, they’ll come looking for him eventually. If they didn’t, it won’t matter because the Hellmouth will likely be opening in minutes. Spike drifts in and out of consciousness. He can feel the edges of the wound knitting and pulling apart again. His vampiric healing is trying to fix him despite the large fucking tree sticking out of his chest. It’s a little like agony, but compared to most things he’s endured in Sunnydale it doesn’t even rank in the top five.

What seems like hours later, but is probably only moments, he hears a voice calling from the top of the hill.

“Spike! Spike!”

He can’t see Tara yelling over the side of the hill, but her voice is like a song. So they’d won. Wonderful. He can’t reply. Instead, Spike digs around in his pocket and pulls out his lighter. He lights it and holds it up.

“I see you! We’re coming!”

After a few minutes of scrabbling, the two of them swim into his vision. Jonathan has a nasty scrap over one of his eyebrows. Tara looks tired and dirty. It takes both of them to pull Spike off the broken branch. They do it slowly which is much more painful, but there is less of a chance that the wood will splinter and pierce his heart. Once he’s off the tree. They carefully make their way down the last of the hill to the bottom supporting Spike between them.

“Go team,” he manages to rasp, but regrets it when it causes a coughing fit that brings up blood.

“I’ll go back up and get his car,” Jonathan says trying not to look at the blood. He runs off back toward the road. Tara kneels next to where Spike is lying on the ground and holds his hand.

Spike can’t ask what happened so he just squeezes her hand until she looks at him and then he pointedly looks at the top of the hill.

“The wind was bad, but I did a simple concentration breaking spell. He couldn’t keep it together and then Jonathan hit him with a sleep spell. Rayne had enough defenses up that it didn’t p—put him to sleep, but it was enough of distraction that I r—ran over and hit him with your p—pipe. I hope I didn’t hurt him too bad. We still have to get him to stop the spell,” she explains.

Spike reaches over and pats their joined hands in reassurance. The car pulls up nearby. Jonathan gets out and they help him into the backseat next to a limp Rayne. Jonathan drives like an old woman despite Tara’s urging.

“I don’t even have a license, okay,” Jonathan finally snaps. Spike wants to say something, but he still can’t draw in enough air to bother. He flips two fingers at the rearview mirror in a useless gesture since he doesn’t have a reflection and Jonathan refuses to take his eyes off the road.

Back at the school once again, Jonathan and Tara drag Rayne inside. Spike is at least strong enough to stagger along under his own power, but he leans on the wall for support. Spike pulls the crooked library door open and then motions to Tara. When she comes over to him, he digs around in her bag and pulls out a bottle of water. Spike dumps the whole bottle over Rayne’s head. The mage slowly starts to rouse, but Tara helps by slapping him. Jonathan stands behind the man clutching the pipe with a fearful face.

“Wha—,” Rayne’s words die on his lips when he sees the glow through the doors.

Spike leans back more nonchalantly than he feels and points at Rayne then at the Hellmouth.

Tara nods and takes over. She says, “Fix it, or y—you’re going to go up with it.”

Rayne looks at all of them. When his eyes come back to Spike, he sees the yellow eyes of a demon looking back.

“Fine,” he sighs, broken.

All in all, the spell isn’t that complicated to stop. A few mumbled words and the glow fades back into darkness. The four of them troop back out into the Sunnydale night. Spike has to take stops every so often so he doesn’t notice that Rayne and Jonathan are pulling ahead of him Tara. There’s a yelp as soon as the two of them clear the doors outside. Tara runs to help and Spike tries to speed up. Once he gets outside, he sees Jonathan on the ground with a scraped elbow to match the scratch over his eye. Tara is helping him to his feet and Rayne is nowhere to be found.

“He pushed me,” Jonathan says.

“It’s okay. I think he’s done for the night,” Tara says, pulling out a salve for Jonathan’s elbow.

“I think we all are,” Spike rasps.

“Where to now?” Jonathan says.

“Buffy’s,” Spike manages. The three of them head back to the car. Jonathan drops them off at Revello Drive a few minutes later.

“I’m going to go home. If I’m not there when mom wakes up, she’ll have a fit.”

“Wait,” Tara says running back to him. She scribbles something on a piece of paper. “It’s my dorm number. Maybe we can have lunch one day and talk about magic. I can bring Willow.”

Jonathan gives a small smile and replies, “That would be nice. I don’t really have anyone to talk to.”

Tara pats his arm and then climbs the steps again to help Spike. The sound of the car disappears down the street.

“He don’t know you like birds,” Spike whispers. The lungs are starting to knit up and he can get a few more breaths to talk.

“That’s why I said I’d bring Willow,” Tara says with a sly smile before knocking on the door.

To Spike’s surprise, it appears as though everyone is awake. Joyce gives a loud gasp when she sees Spike’s wound. She pulls him into the kitchen and has him sit down on a stool to be examined. Tara starts explaining things to Willow who has a concerned look. Spike tries to shuffle out of his coat with a lot of trouble. Two big hands take the collar and carefully pull it off his back. Spike turns his head to see Xander giving him a worried look. They both look at the large bloody hole in the middle of the coat’s back. Spike tries to sigh, but it causes him to start coughing again.

“He’s going to need blood,” Giles says stepping forward to cut Spike’s ruined T-shirt off.

After hearing Tara’s story, Buffy actually volunteers to get the blood when the butcher opens in an hour. Willow keeps interrupting Tara to hug her with tight worried embraces. In all the confusion, no one seems to notice Xander taking his hand. The women all move to the next room. Giles hovers over Spike cleaning the wound and pulling out the occasional splinters with tweezers. The Watcher carefully ignores the handholding and concentrates on his work instead.

“Hey, you okay?” Xander asks.

“Right as rain,” Spike says softly. “How was the movie?”

“We didn’t finish it. Long story. Remind me to tell you later.”

“This is going to be a while. You’re probably tired, Xander. You should get some sleep.”

“NO!” Xander and Giles bark in unison.

After the night he’s had, Spike doesn’t ask. The sun is starting to come up by the time Giles finishes cleaning and bandaging. Buffy leaves for the butchers and promises to bring back doughnuts for everyone. Tara and Willow tut over Spike’s coat while Joyce closes curtains and starts making breakfast.

Spike leans heavily on the kitchen island watching Joyce. Tara places a hand on his arm to get his attention.

“Don’t worry about your coat. I know a mending spell that will fix it,” she says softly.

“Thanks, pet. As usual you’re a life saver.”

“I think she did a lot of life saving tonight,” Xander says sitting down on Spike’s other side.

Tara blushes prettily. She walks off into the dining room with Willow and starts telling her about Jonathan. Spike feels tired. Every one of his hundred odd years is perching on his shoulders. Xander takes up a lot of space on his stool, and if he happens to be close enough for Spike to lean on his shoulder, he hopes the boy won’t mind.

Spike closes his eyes and listens to Xander and Joyce chatting softly. He has the feeling that Willow and Tara are snogging in the dining room. Giles has apparently turned on the stereo over in the living room because he can hear the gentle sounds of Eric Clapton and the rest of Cream doing their thing. All in all, despite the hole in his chest, it’s a good moment. The sound of feet clumping down the stairs doesn’t even really register until he hears a young gasp.

“Oh my God! What happened to Spike? Why didn’t you wake me up? Man! I miss everything!” the voice whines.

Spike’s eyes snap open and he jerks around so quickly that he knocks Xander off balance. The boy grabs the counter to keep from completely falling off his stool. There in the middle of the Summers’ kitchen stands a gawping Dawn, four months before she’s even supposed to exist.

“Bloody hell!”


End file.
